The European Union has lifted most sanctions against Belarus despite concerns about political repression and human rights abuses.

EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels agreed unanimously to end asset freezes and travel bans against 170 individuals including the president, Alexander Lukashenko, citing “improving EU-Belarus relations”.

Sanctions were also lifted against three defence companies with close ties to the government in Minsk: Beltech Holding, Beltechexport and Spetspriborservice.

The ministers retained sanctions against four members of Lukashenko’s security service suspected of involvement in the disappearance of four political opponents in 1999-2000. An arms embargo also remains in place.

Lukashenko, dubbed Europe’s last dictator by the George W Bush administration, swept to a fifth term as president last October following elections independent observers said were marred by significant flaws.

Following the poll, the EU suspended sanctions for four months because the elections passed without a repeat of 2010’s violent crackdown against opposition forces. As well as the relatively peaceful aftermath of the poll, EU diplomats wanted to ease sanctions in response to Lukashenko’s decision to release six political prisoners last August, including Nikolai Statkevich, a presidential candidate in 2010.

The EU first imposed sanctions against Belarus in 2004, steadily extending them to more individuals and organisations following a series of flawed elections that returned Lukashenko and his parliamentary supporters to power in successive landslides.

On Monday EU ministers decided to lift most sanctions permanently, although they said they remained “concerned with the situation of human rights in Belarus”. Ministers also called on Minsk to abolish the death penalty and implement Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s recommendations on democracy before this year’s parliamentary elections.

A recent OSCE report said October’s election showed Belarus had a “considerable way go to” on democratic standards, noting the absence of safeguards against multiple voting, limited choice available to voters and the uneven playing field between Lukashenko and his rivals.

EU lifts most sanctions against Belarus despite human rights concerns

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