Andrei Mikalaevich Gurtsevich

Belarus

First Deputy Commander of the Air Force

1971-07-27

Baranovich, Brest Region/Oblast, Belarus

Male

In his position as First Deputy Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus, Andrei Gurtsevich is responsible for the order dispatching military aircraft to intercept passenger flight FR4978 and compel its landing at Minsk airport, without proper justification, on 23 May 2021. In so doing, Gurtsevich acted at the direction of Alexander Lukashenko and in conjunction with the Belarusian aviation authorities. This resulted in the forced redirection of flight FR4978, the detention of the aircraft, its passengers and the crew, and the arrest of opposition journalist and civil society actor Roman Protasevich and Protasevich’s partner Sofia Sapega. This politically-motivated decision was aimed at arresting and detaining opposition journalist Protasevich and Sapega and constitutes a form of repression against civil society and democratic opposition in Belarus. Andrei Gurtsevich is therefore responsible for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Belarus and so undermined democracy and the rule of law there.

UK

Asset freeze, Travel Ban, Director Disqualification Sanction

The Director Disqualification Sanction was imposed on 09/04/2025.

2021-06-25

UK

The Republic of Belarus (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

UK country specific

Belarus

Asset freeze and making available provisions, Trade sanctions, Travel bans, Transport sanctions

• The Regulations impose financial sanctions through a targeted asset freeze on designated persons and prohibitions on making funds or economic resources available. This involves the freezing of funds and economic resources (non-monetary assets, such as property or vehicles) of designated persons and ensuring that funds and economic resources are not made available to or for the benefit of designated persons, either directly or indirectly. • The effect of the Regulations is to impose a travel ban on persons who are designated by the Secretary of State for the purposes of being made subject to immigration sanctions under the Sanctions Act. • Transport sanctions. • Trade sanctions.

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 • investigate properly 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 respect human rights cease actions destabilising Ukraine or undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine, including by supporting or facilitating Russia’s actions in respect of Ukraine • refrain from any other action which undermines or threatens peace, security or stability in Europe. The regulations impose asset freezes on persons reasonably suspected of involvement in conduct enabling or facilitating the disappearances of four people or the failure to investigate properly or institute criminal proceedings against the persons responsible for those disappearances; the commission of serious human rights violations in Belarus; the repression of civil society or democratic opposition in Belarus; or other actions, policies or activities which undermine democracy or the rule of law in Belarus [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-sanctions-belarus]

Licensing and exception provisions are contained in Part 6 of the Regulations.