Britain and Canada impose sanctions on Belarus leader Lukashenko

FILE PHOTO: Alexander Lukashenko takes the oath of office as Belarusian President during a swearing-in ceremony in Minsk, Belarus September 23, 2020. Andrei Stasevich/BelTA/Handout via REUTERS

SEOUL/OTTAWA (Reuters) - Britain and Canada imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Tuesday on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, his son and other senior officials, accusing their government of rigging an election and committing violence against protesters.

The sanctions were the first to be implemented by major Western powers over the crisis in Belarus, a close Russian ally. There was no immediate announcement from United States, which sources had said last week was planning to coordinate a joint announcement with its two big English-speaking allies.