Businessman Viktar Shautsou seeks his exclusion from sanctions lists

Viktar Shautsou

Already in April, the court satisfied Viktar Shautsou's previous claim, however, the EU Council had extended sanctions shortly before this and kept Shautsou's surname on the sanctions list. Therefore, a new lawsuit was filed in May, alleging that the EU Council did not comply with the court's decision.

Shautsou insists that he is mistakenly considered a person who supports the Belarusian authorities as a former honorary consul of the Philippines in Belarus and a state representative. He also denies claims about his connection with the bank «Rashnanne», the «Dudutki» museum complex and other assets in Belarus.

As evidence for the claim, documents on the termination of his powers as honorary consul are attached, official confirmation from the Venezuelan authorities that he did not participate in state missions of Belarus, as well as notarized documents certifying the absence of his interests in the Belarusian economy.

The claim also states that the EU Council did not provide new grounds for maintaining the sanctions. According to Shautsou, this unreasonably restricts his property rights, freedom of movement as a citizen of the European Union, as well as the right to private and family life. Furthermore, he believes that there was insufficient evidence for his inclusion in the sanctions list, and asks the court to impose litigation costs on the EU Council.

Viktar Shautsou fell under the sanctions of the European Union and Switzerland in August 2024. This happened several months after the publication of an investigation by the Belarusian Investigative Center, which claimed that he was one of the main beneficiaries of profits from the production of security holograms in Belarus. Another investigation linked the businessman to a company that was supposed to be involved in producing passports for «New Belarus».

Journalists also reported on his close ties with the Belarusian authorities. According to their data, in 2008–2013, Shautsou repeatedly traveled abroad with high-ranking Belarusian officials and individuals from Aliaksandr Lukashenka's inner circle.

Shautsou is called an intermediary in the cooperation of the Belarusian state with authoritarian regimes. The «Infobank» founded by him in 1994 serviced financial operations with Iraq, Libya, and Iran. Later, the US Department of the Treasury accused the bank of money laundering in the interests of Saddam Hussein's regime. After this, the bank was renamed «Trustbank», and the associated company «Belzamezhbud», with the support of Viktar Sheiman, implemented large projects in Venezuela during Hugo Chávez's presidency.

After the introduction of sanctions in 2024, Shautsou began to change the ownership structure of his business in Belarus. In August, a new owner appeared in the documents of the «Technokhimtrade» enterprise — Maksim Lapikau. He is Shautsou's trustee: since 2019, he has managed the «Dudutki» museum complex, which belongs to the businessman, and previously worked there as a driver.

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