The European Union (EU) has imposed sanctions on Dzmitry Shautsou, the head of the Red Cross in Belarus, for his involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children. Shautsou is one of four Belarus Red Cross officials who have been blacklisted by the EU for their role in child deportations from Ukraine. The Belarusian regime, led by President Lukashenko, is accused of taking over 2,400 Ukrainian children to 13 facilities in Belarus. The EU's decision to sanction Shautsou and the other officials is part of the ongoing efforts to hold the Belarusian government accountable for its human rights violations [5f0394b2].
Dzmitry Shautsou, a Belarusian physician and politician, became the head of the Belarus Red Cross in June 2021. He has been controversial for his remarks on homosexuality and his approval of the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia. Shautsou's involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children has been denounced by Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF). The organization has been actively working to shape European and international policy to protect human rights globally. In December 2023, Shautsou was added to the US Department of the Treasury's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List [5f0394b2].
The Belarus Red Cross was suspended from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) for refusing to fire Shautsou. The organization's decision to suspend the Belarus Red Cross highlights the seriousness of the allegations against Shautsou and the need for accountability. The EU's decision to impose sanctions on Shautsou and the other officials further underscores the international community's condemnation of the Belarusian government's actions [5f0394b2].