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Belarus

  • Last revised:10 April 2025

Purpose of the Sanctions Regime

This sanctions regime is aimed at encouraging the Government of Belarus to: 

  • respect democratic principles and institutions and the separation of powers and the rule of law in Belarus
  • refrain from actions, policies or activities which repress civil society in Belarus
  • properly investigate and institute criminal proceedings against the persons responsible for the disappearances of Yury Zakharanka, Viktar Hanchar, Anatol Krasouski and Dzmitry Zavadski
  • comply with international human rights law and to respect human rights
  • cease actions destabilising or undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine, including by supporting / facilitating Russia’s actions
  • refrain from other action which undermines or threatens peace, security or stability in eastern Europe

Overview of current sanctions measures

Current sanction measures implemented by Jersey in relation to Belarus include, for example:

  • asset freezes and restrictions on making funds and economic resources available to designated persons
  • other financial and investment restrictions, including prohibitions relating to dealing with transferable securities or money market instruments
  • certain prohibitions relating to loans and credit arrangements, provision of financial services in relation to foreign exchange reserve and asset management
  • insurance and reinsurance services
  • trade sanctions and prohibitions of related activity 
  • travel ban
  • transport sanctions
  • prohibition of providing other services, for example, Internet services to designated persons
  • trade sanctions
  • director disqualification sanctions

Since 10 June 2023, the UK amendments and general licences to Belarus sanctions regime have an automatic effect in Jersey, subject to the general modification provisions of the Jersey Sanctions Order. The Minister can grant a General Licence that expressly modifies or disapplies a UK General Licence. The Minister can also disapply a UK General Licence altogether, without making any replacement.

Latest news

9 April 2025

The UK Sanctions List has been updated, with amendments related to director disqualification sanctions to vary the designations of 2996 individuals and 818 entities.

*All published Latest News notices relating to financial sanctions, including those extending beyond the last 30 days, may be obtained from the Jersey Gazette

Jersey regime

The Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Implementation of External Sanctions) (Jersey) Order 2021 (the Jersey Sanctions Order) implements the Republic of Belarus (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (the UK Regulations).

Article 3 of the Jersey Order imposes the asset-freeze provisions in Part 3 of the Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Jersey) Law 2019 (the SAFL) on any person listed by or under the UK Regulations. The Part 3 provisions also include, but are not limited to, Articles 15-17 of the SAFL on exceptions, licences, and circumventing prohibitions etc.

Offences

The offences for this regime are set out in both the SAFL and the Jersey Order. 

Reporting obligations

Reporting obligations are set out at Article 32 of the SAFL and apply to all regimes in force. These obligations include requirements for a relevant financial institution to inform the Minister if:

  • it holds an account of a person, has entered into dealings or an agreement with a person or has been approached by or on behalf of a person, and
  • it knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that the person:
    • is a designated person, or;
    • has committed, is committing or intends to commit an offence under this Law, and  
  • the information or other matter on which the knowledge or reasonable cause for suspicion is based came to it in the course of carrying on its business.

Additional reporting obligations were imposed on designated persons on 16 May 2024 by the Regulation 4 of the UK Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Revocations) Regulations 2024 (the Amendment Regulations). Under the Amendment Regulations, designated persons must report the nature, value and location of their assets to the Minister. The approved reporting forms are available on Sanctions forms for licences and suspected breach notifications.

Licences and exceptions

A Jersey General Licence, granted by the Minister, allows multiply parties to conduct specified activities that would otherwise be restricted by sanctions measures. Supervised persons must ensure that their activities are within the scope of the General Licence's terms and that they adhere to all its conditions.

The Minister may also grant a specific licence under the SAFL and/or the Jersey Order.

To apply for a specific sanctions licence a supervised person must complete the relevant Sanctions form and return the completed form to [email protected].

The FSIU provides guidance on sanctions licences and exceptions  on the Government of Jersey website Sanctions.

Legal acts

Jersey

  • Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Jersey) Law 2019
  • Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Implementation of External Sanctions) (Jersey) Order 2021
  • Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Implementation of External Sanctions) (Amendment - Belarus) (Jersey) Order 2021
  • Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Implementation of External Sanctions) (Belarus-Amendment No. 2) (Jersey) Order 2022
  • Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Automatic Implementation of UK Sanctions on Belarus) (Jersey) Order 2023
  • Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Amendment of Law and Order No. 2) (Jersey) Order 2023

United Kingdom

  • The Republic of Belarus (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019
  • The Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.2) Regulations 2020
  • The Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.4) Regulations 2020
  • The Republic of Belarus (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2022
  • The Republic of Belarus (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2023
  • The Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Revocations) Regulations 2024

Further information

The Government of Jersey:

Useful information and guidance links: