Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly stated in a statement on Friday that Canada has imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and six entities in commemoration of the 2020 fraudulent presidential elections in Belarus.

The sanctions come in response to what Joly described as ongoing systemic human rights violations in Belarus and support for Russia's illegal aggressive war against Ukraine.

Belarusian authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko celebrated 30 years in power in that country last month.

He won his sixth term in 2020 in an election widely regarded as fraudulent both locally and internationally.

The sanctions list includes judges that Canada says have arbitrarily convicted citizens for expressing their opposition to the 2020 elections.

The sanctions extend to state-owned companies that intimidated and dismissed employees involved in peaceful protests and strikes following the 2020 elections.

They also include individuals who coordinate military production with Russia in Belarus.

Belarus is situated between Russia and Ukraine and NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.

The authoritarian regime is a key ally of Moscow.

Many of the tanks that entered Ukraine on the first day of the Russian invasion in February 2022 were launched from Belarusian territory, providing Russia a shorter and more direct route to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

The sanctions target entities involved in the production and repair of military equipment used as part of the invasion.

The measures were imposed in coordination with the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

In a joint statement on Friday, the countries said: "We reaffirm that the sanctions we recently announced represent a coordinated and multilateral effort to enhance accountability for the Lukashenko regime."

"We will continue to consider our options, including additional sanctions, to hold accountable those who enable the Lukashenko regime to suppress democracy in Belarus."

The countries pledged to continue trying to expose and cut off critical support sources for the Russian war in Ukraine from Belarus.