23/02/2018 (Agence Europe) – A Council press release on Friday 23 February, states that the institution decided the previous day to prolong the restrictive measures against Belarus for a year until 28 February 2019. These measures include an arms embargo, a ban on exports of equipment that could be used for internal repression, and an assets freeze and a ban on travelling for the four people linked to the unresolved disappearance of two opposition politicians, a businessman and a journalist in 1999 and 2000. The Council also prolonged the exemption from the restrictive measures to enable the export of biathlon equipment to Belarus, and extended the exemption to a limited number of specific-use sporting rifles and sporting pistols. All this equipment is subject to prior authorisation by national competent authorities on a case by case basis. (CG)