Between 01 April 2022 and 20 September 2022, there were 1,520 calls relating to imports and exports affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus.

​The UK supports maintaining the current restrictive measures against Belarus.

​Some improvements were observed in the conduct of the September 2016 parliamentary elections in Belarus. Two opposition candidates were elected for the first time, but the elections remained a managed affair, key Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) recommendations remain outstanding and a number of long-standing systemic shortcomings remain.

​Some improvements were observed in the conduct of the September 2016 parliamentary elections in Belarus. Two opposition candidates were elected for the first time, but the elections remained a managed affair, key Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) recommendations remain outstanding and a number of long-standing systemic shortcomings remain.

Belarus resumed WTO membership negotiations in January 2017 when the WTO Working Party on the country’s accession met for the first time in 12 years. Belarus emphasised that moving forward with WTO accession is a priority for the country in 2017. It has concluded bilateral market access agreements with 10 WTO members to date.

Although a core member of the Eurasian Economic Union, the dividends that Belarus must reasonably have hoped to gain from its membership have not materialised. Trade amongst the EEU countries has fallen: by 11% in 2014 and by 25% in 2015.

Belarus resumed WTO membership negotiations in January 2017 when the WTO Working Party on the country’s accession met for the first time in 12 years. Belarus emphasised that moving forward with WTO accession is a priority for the country in 2017. It has concluded bilateral market access agreements with 10 WTO members to date.

Although a core member of the Eurasian Economic Union, the dividends that Belarus must reasonably have hoped to gain from its membership have not materialised. Trade amongst the EEU countries has fallen: by 11% in 2014 and by 25% in 2015.

The UK is not a participant in the EU Mobility Partnership with Belarus and has not therefore made such an assessment.

The British Embassy Minsk, as chair of the EU-Belarus Consular Working Group, has engaged the Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the imposition by Russian authorities of border controls between Belarus and Russia. The Ministry have told us that this is a matter for the Russian authorities. The Belarusian authorities are content for all nationals to travel in/out of Belarus provided that they have the correct visas.

The UK is not a participant in the EU Mobility Partnership with Belarus and has not therefore made such an assessment.

The British Embassy Minsk, as chair of the EU-Belarus Consular Working Group, has engaged the Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the imposition by Russian authorities of border controls between Belarus and Russia. The Ministry have told us that this is a matter for the Russian authorities. The Belarusian authorities are content for all nationals to travel in/out of Belarus provided that they have the correct visas.

It is the longstanding policy of the UK to oppose the use of the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We use every opportunity to call on Belarus to establish an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty, as a first step towards abolition. For example, the UK funded a landmark conference 'Abolition of the Death Penalty and Public Opinion' organised by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Minsk in December 2016.

Despite some positive developments, the overall human rights situation in Belarus remains marred by systematic violations. The last EU-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue took place in June 2016. The dialogue allowed for an extensive exchange of views on the situation of human rights both in Belarus and in the European Union. The next EU-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue will take place in June 2017.

The British Government remains concerned about restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and of association, particularly the freedom of the media, which remains severely limited. We continue to urge the Belarusian authorities to eliminate all obstacles to the exercise of a free and independent media, including through the registration of new media outlets and the accreditation of journalists.

The Government does not currently recognise any prisoners in Belarus as being political prisoners. The release of political prisoners in August 2015 was a welcome step. We continue to urge the Government of Belarus to reinstate the full civil and political rights of released political prisoners.

It is the longstanding policy of the UK to oppose the use of the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We use every opportunity to call on Belarus to establish an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty, as a first step towards abolition. For example, the UK funded a landmark conference 'Abolition of the Death Penalty and Public Opinion' organised by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Minsk in December 2016.

Despite some positive developments, the overall human rights situation in Belarus remains marred by systematic violations. The last EU-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue took place in June 2016. The dialogue allowed for an extensive exchange of views on the situation of human rights both in Belarus and in the European Union. The next EU-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue will take place in June 2017.

The British Government remains concerned about restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and of association, particularly the freedom of the media, which remains severely limited. We continue to urge the Belarusian authorities to eliminate all obstacles to the exercise of a free and independent media, including through the registration of new media outlets and the accreditation of journalists.

The Government does not currently recognise any prisoners in Belarus as being political prisoners. The release of political prisoners in August 2015 was a welcome step. We continue to urge the Government of Belarus to reinstate the full civil and political rights of released political prisoners.

It is the longstanding policy of the UK to oppose the use of the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We use every opportunity to call on Belarus to establish an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty, as a first step towards abolition. For example, the UK funded a landmark conference 'Abolition of the Death Penalty and Public Opinion' organised by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Minsk in December 2016.

Despite some positive developments, the overall human rights situation in Belarus remains marred by systematic violations. The last EU-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue took place in June 2016. The dialogue allowed for an extensive exchange of views on the situation of human rights both in Belarus and in the European Union. The next EU-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue will take place in June 2017.

The British Government remains concerned about restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and of association, particularly the freedom of the media, which remains severely limited. We continue to urge the Belarusian authorities to eliminate all obstacles to the exercise of a free and independent media, including through the registration of new media outlets and the accreditation of journalists.

The Government does not currently recognise any prisoners in Belarus as being political prisoners. The release of political prisoners in August 2015 was a welcome step. We continue to urge the Government of Belarus to reinstate the full civil and political rights of released political prisoners.

It is the longstanding policy of the UK to oppose the use of the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We use every opportunity to call on Belarus to establish an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty, as a first step towards abolition. For example, the UK funded a landmark conference 'Abolition of the Death Penalty and Public Opinion' organised by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Minsk in December 2016.

Despite some positive developments, the overall human rights situation in Belarus remains marred by systematic violations. The last EU-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue took place in June 2016. The dialogue allowed for an extensive exchange of views on the situation of human rights both in Belarus and in the European Union. The next EU-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue will take place in June 2017.

The British Government remains concerned about restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and of association, particularly the freedom of the media, which remains severely limited. We continue to urge the Belarusian authorities to eliminate all obstacles to the exercise of a free and independent media, including through the registration of new media outlets and the accreditation of journalists.

The Government does not currently recognise any prisoners in Belarus as being political prisoners. The release of political prisoners in August 2015 was a welcome step. We continue to urge the Government of Belarus to reinstate the full civil and political rights of released political prisoners.