On Monday, April 15, 2024, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, began yet another round of sanctions against Belarus, adducing the human rights abuses that occurred following the election of 2020. The foreign ministry revealed that the sanctions would target 21 current and former senior government figures, including members of the security force, judiciary system, public prosecutors, and administrators of penal and “education” colonies. These sanctions are not the first or even Canadian, measures taken against Belarus since the 2020 election. Canada alone has produced 14 rounds of sanctions against 211 individuals and 71 entities in Belarus, all citing their involvement or complacency in human rights violations or the violation of Ukrainian sovereignty, and has allocated nearly $3 billion in support of Belarusian civil society organizations. The collective action that many Western nations have taken against Belarus, Russia’s militarily closest ally, is telling of the sentiment towards Russia as the war in Ukraine continues, and will color diplomacy efforts in the region.

Joly subsequently released a statement following the sanctions, revealing that Canada is “sending a clear message to Belarus: Canada will continue to support Belarusians in their fight to enforce their right to a democratic future. We will continue to put pressure on the Lukashenko regime and to support human rights defenders and political prisoners.” Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin responded, claiming that “[d]espite the increasing sanctions’ pressure, Russia and Belarus are gradually advancing the Union State integration,” indicating the continued strength of Russian-Belarusian relations in the face of economic isolation as the war in Ukraine proceeds. 

Continued sanctions, coupled with investment into pro-democracy groups within Belarus, seem to be the best way forward. Canada’s actions reflect a commitment to aiding the Belarusian democratic cause, and their policies should be duplicated by countries devoted to empowering the Belarusian people. The current most potent trigger of discontent in Belarus is the Belarusian government’s resolute decision to aid Russia in the war in Ukraine. Protests in 2020, focused on the people’s desire for a political transformation to a more equitable democratic system. Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Belarus has seen a large number of protests, condemning Belarus’ tolerance towards Russian military positioning within Belarusian borders. Solidarity with Belarus is crucial, but nations must be careful to not necessitate an even closer relationship between Russia and Belarus with too harsh sanctioning and diplomatic isolation.

Since Belarus’ formation in 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the nation’s policies have been shaped by relations with its eastern neighbor, Russia. While the Belarusian constitution requires the democratic election of a president and a bicameral parliament, most power is concentrated in its presidency. The 1994 election of Lukashenko, the current president, began Belarus’ spiral into an authoritarian regime. Belarus’ close economic ties with Russia allowed Lukashenko to withstand economic pressures, legitimizing his rule and empowering him to abuse presidential power. He consolidated governmental power and control over state institutions, undermining the rule of law in Belarus. This has resulted in decades of elections that are neither free nor fair and has worsened as Belarusian discontent grows. Lukashenko has subsequently infringed upon the civil liberties of citizens, destroyed judicial integrity, leveraged excessive use of force, torture, and arbitrary arrests, and crafted a system in which he is held accountable to no one–especially the citizens of Belarus. The 2020 election saw opposition organizing around Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the presidential candidate supported by those with anti-authoritarian hopes. Following her exile after the 2020 election, she has organized an opposition government and has met to discuss sanctions against Lukashenko’s regime with several foreign nations, including Canada.

As Canada continues to sanction Belarus alongside many other countries, including the U.S., E.U., and Japan, the message of solidarity with Tsikhanouskaya, the representative for a democratic future in Belarus, is of utmost importance. Creating a united front against the undemocratic leadership in Belarus, and their close relationship with Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine would ensure the continued support of the Belarusian people and the placement of pressure on Lukashenko to relinquish his grasp on power. Diplomatic measures should be taken to facilitate a sustainable plan for a democratic transition in the future.