The government of United Kingdom will declare the group of Russian mercenaries Wagner as terrorist organizationwhich means that it will be illegal in that country to be a member of or support said association, as stated by the British television channel on Tuesday. BBC.
Those who violate the anti-terrorism law could face sentences of 14 years in jail or fines of more than €5,850.
The UK Home Secretary, Suella Bravermanstated that the Wagner Group is “violent and destructive”as well as “a military instrument of the Russia of Vladimir Putin”, whose performance in Ukraine and Africa supposes a “threat to global security”.
Braverman added that “while the putin regime decides what to do with the monster he created, Wagner’s continued destabilizing activities only serve the political goals of the Kremlin.”
“They are terrorists, without more, and this prohibition order makes it clear in the law,” he said.
This Wednesday the draft of the measure to veto the paramilitary group will be sent to Parliament, according to the British press.
The shadow foreign minister, david lammy, applauded the initiative, months after asking the government to ban the group of mercenaries for being “responsible for atrocities in Ukraine and around the world”.
“It is long overdue, but we welcome the government finally acting. Now, the Government should press for the establishment of a special court to prosecute (Vladimir) Putin for his crime of aggression”, expressed Lammy after hearing the news.
The mercenaries of wagner group, participating both in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as in Syria or African countries like Mali, have been accused of various crimes, including the murder and torture of civilians.
The anti-terrorism law of the United Kingdom, in force since 2000, grants the Ministry of Interior the power to ban an organization if you believe it is involved in terrorism. Before the law, it was only possible to ban groups related to terrorism in Northern Ireland, explained the aforementioned British media.
London announced sanctions in July against 13 individuals and companies it said have links to the Russian group in Africa.
Wagner’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who died in a plane crash in August, had also been sanctioned by the UK along with several of its commanders who took part in the Russian war in Ukraine.
Prigozhin died two months after ordering his forces to overthrow the Russian military command.
Belarus position
Meanwhile, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko considered “stupid” the call of Poland and the Baltic countries to expel the paramilitary group Wagner of its territory after the death of Prigozhin.
“The leaders of Poland and the Baltic states are fanning hysteria about the presence” of Wagner in Belarus, Lukashenko told his Security Council, denouncing “irrational and stupid requests”.
The leader accused Poland and the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) of imposing “demands” despite the fact that they “continue increasing their military budgets and attracting important military formations to the borders.”
“There should not be a single foreign soldier in Poland, Lithuania or the other Baltic States,” Lukashenko stressed, referring to the forces deployed within the framework of NATO.
(With information from Europa Press and AFP)
Source-www.infobae.com