The United States on Friday slapped sanctions on eight Belarusian officials, including the Interior Minister, according to the US Treasury Department's website, taking action after an August election that the Belarus opposition say was stolen by President Alexander Lukashenko.
The Treasury Department's move comes after the European Union on Friday imposed sanctions against about 40 officials accused of rigging the Aug. 9 presidential election in Belarus.
A statement put out by the department said the eight were blacklisted for their role in alleged election fraud and the country's violent crackdown on protests.