On 29 May 2023, Poland imposed sanctions on 365 citizens of Belarus, as well as other individuals and entities.

Polish law requires an individual decision and scope of sanctions to be determined with respect to each designated person, however the measures typically include:

  • freezing of funds and economic resources
  • prohibition of making funds or economic resources available
  • prohibition of knowing and voluntary participation in activities aiming at, or resulting in, circumvention of the above measures
  • entry ban (for individuals)
  • public tenders participation ban (for entities)

Polish authorities declared that all designated individuals will also receive a Schengen zone entry ban.

The designated persons include:

  • 159 members of the National Assembly of Belarus (currently, all members of the National Assembly are designated)
  • 76 Belarussian judges and 7 prosecutors
  • 32 local administration officers of Belarus
  • other citizens of Belarus, including sportsmen and state media workers
  • 15 Russian citizens
  • 20 entities (19 entities linked with Russia and one entity linked with Belarus)

The designations are linked to, inter alia, the sentencing of a Polish-Belarussian journalist Andrzej Poczobut, proceedings and other actions against Belarussian democratic opposition, and organising illegal imigration of Belarusian citizens into Poland and the Baltic states.

Polish national sanctions have been adopted in addition to EU sanctions, which are directly applicable in Poland.

Author

Piotr heads Baker McKenzie’s International Trade Practice in Poland. He is a counsel in the International Commercial & Trade and Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Groups, and a member of the Investigations, Compliance and Ethics practice. Educated in Poland and France, he has worked in the Firm's offices in Warsaw, Chicago, and London, as well as at a Munich-based client, and advised on commercial, trade, corporate/M&A and compliance mandates. He is admitted to practice in Poland and California.

Author