The European Union announced that North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Iceland and Norway aligned themselves with the bloc's decision to sanction 11 individuals and four entities under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, in an April 27 news release. The 15 designations, along with the sanctioning of four Russian individuals in early March, constitute the first major listings under the new human rights sanctions regime and include individuals and entities from China, North Korea, Libya, Russia, South Sudan and Eritrea (see 2103220024). In its first step against Eritrea since fighting began over Ethiopia's Tigray region, the EU sanctioned the nation's National Security Office for extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests. The other sanctions target a Chinese entity, the Central Public Prosecutor's Office in North Korea and the Kaniyat militia in Libya.
The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation April 26 published a list of 22 individuals subject to an asset freeze under the new global anti-corruption sanctions regime. The individuals are from across the globe in places such as the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Central America. Included on the list are three South African Gupta brothers, Ajay, Atul and Rajesh, for their corrupt relationship with former South African President Jacob Zuma. The brothers now live in the UAE, according to OFSI.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on April 26 sanctioned one current and one former Guatemalan official for corruption. The designations target Gustavo Adolfo Alejos Cambara, the former chief of staff for the Alvaro Colom presidential administration, and Felipe Alejos Lorenzana, an elected delegate to Guatemala’s Congress.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control amended its Somalia Sanctions Regulations and reissued them “in their entirety” to provide more guidance, general licenses and statements of licensing policy. The regulations outline new provisions surrounding blocked property, sanctions evasion attempts and new definitions to help industry comply with the sanctions. The new and revised general licenses authorize a range of activities, including certain investments, transactions related to legal payments and certain activities by the U.S. government. The new regulations take effect April 28.
The United Nations Security Council on April 22 renewed the mandate of its committee monitoring nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. The committee, which oversees the implementation of U.N. efforts to prevent trade in dangerous weapons to nonstate actors, was extended until Feb. 28, 2022.
The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation published guidance to individuals, entities and nongovernmental organizations on the recently passed anti-corruption sanctions, the agency said in an April 26 news release. The sanctions, which came into force April 26, cover individuals guilty of “serious corruption,” which includes bribery or misappropriation of property.
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation last week published a blog post on its licensing process. The post provides guidance on best practices when submitting a license, which licenses OSFI prioritizes, how the agency’s procedures and licenses have changed under the U.K.’s newly implemented sanctions regimes, and several “top tips” for license applicants.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on April 23 removed more than 40 entries from its Specially Designated Nationals List. The entries all had Mexican addresses and were sanctioned under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. Treasury didn’t immediately provide more information on the delistings.
The U.S. has made “some progress” in its discussions to return to the Iran nuclear deal but expects a lengthy process involving multiple rounds of talks with European partners, a State Department Official told reporters this week. After speaking with the United Nations Security Council, the official said, the U.S. and Iran both have a “better idea” of what they need to do to fully rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. But “clarification doesn’t necessarily mean consensus,” the official said April 21. “There still are disagreements” and “the distance that remains to be traveled is greater than the distance that we’ve traveled so far.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on April 21 sanctioned two Myanmar state-owned entities that are “key economic resources” for the Myanmar military. The designations target Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE) and Myanmar Pearl Enterprise (MPE), which are responsible for timber and pearl exports from Myanmar, OFAC said. OFAC also deleted 15 Panama-related entries on its Specially Designated Nationals List. The agency didn’t provide more information on the deletions.