By Kennedy
Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed controversial Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko despite international pressure over his detention of a young opposition activist.
The US said Friday it was re-imposing sanctions against nine state-owned businesses in Belarus and may take further action against the country, the Hill reported Saturday. The European Union has already imposed new sanctions on Belarus.
Lukashenko caused an international outcry last week after Belarus reportedly scrambled a fighter jet to force down a Ryanair flight going from Greece to Lithuania. Rama Pratasevich, 26, an opposition activist and journalist, was on the flight and was arrested as soon as the plane was forced to land.
Lukashenko insisted last week that he acted lawfully and within international rules.
Putin met with Lukashenko after the incident and called the criticism of Minsk “an outburst of emotions.”
“We have things to discuss even without these events. I mean to say that in the first quarter of this year, our trade grew by a considerable 18.4 percent, and Russia remains a key trade and economic partner of Belarus. This is a good trend, and it is important to keep it going along with the Government’s active work,” Putin said in a statement provided by the Kremlin.
Lukashenko, 66, a former Soviet Army soldier, has ruled Belarus since 1994 and is sometimes referred to as “Europe’s Last Dictator.” He has been accused of ordering the kidnapping and murder of opposition politicians and activists, as well as authorizing the detention and torture of Belarusians protesting the results of last August’s presidential election.
Lukashenko claimed to have won a sixth term in office, but the opposition and international observers have rejected that claim and called for a new poll.
