The United Kingdom Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation issued its 2019-2020 annual report Oct. 9, including details on sanctions improvements made during the past year, sanctions statistics and licensing items. OFSI said it plans to focus on sanctions in the maritime sector in 2020-2021 and to publish “sector specific guidance with supporting blogs and targeted events” relating to maritime sanctions “later in the year.” OFSI also said it continues to prepare for the end of the Brexit transition period and aims to increase outreach with industry to improve sanctions compliance. The agency called industry engagement a “priority” and stressed that the format for its consolidated list will not change after the transition period.
The United Kingdom Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation on Oct. 9 added one entry to its ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaida Organisations sanctions list and corrected 17 entries on its Global Human Rights sanctions list. The U.K. added Jamal Hussein Hassan Zeiniye, leader of the Al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant, a terrorist organization, to its ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaida sanctions. It also revised identifying information for 17 Saudi, Russian, Myanmar and North Korea related entries. The Saudi individuals were cited for involvement in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who had been living in exile in the United States, in the Saudi consulate in Turkey.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control designated a Nicaraguan financial institution and two government officials for undermining Nicaragua’s democracy, OFAC said Oct. 9. The sanctions target Cooperativa De Ahorro Y Credito Caja Rural Nacional RL, a bank that is “not subject to traditional regulatory oversight,” and Nicaraguan Attorney General Ana Julia Guido De Romero and Secretary of the Presidency Paul Herbert Oquist Kelley.
France, Germany and the United Kingdom called on the European Union to impose sanctions on those responsible for the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, a Russian political opposition leader. France and Germany said Navalny’s poisoning was an “attack on the elementary principles of democracy” and represented a “shocking new use of a chemical weapon,” according to an unofficial translation of an Oct. 7 joint statement. “France and Germany will send their European partners proposals for additional sanctions, the statement said. The U.K. on Oct. 7 said it “stands side by side” with Germany and France. “We will work together with our international partners to take forward sanctions targeting Russian officials and others who are considered responsible for this crime as well those involved in the development of the Novichok chemical weapon programme,” U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation added 35 entries and revised five entries under its Belarus sanctions, an Oct. 5 notice said. The additions include Belarusian government, military and election officials, and the revisions add identifying information for certain individuals.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Oct. 6 extended a general license related to Petroleos de Venezuela and updated a frequently asked question. General License No. 5E, which replaced No. 5D (see 2007150018), authorizes certain transactions with PdVSA involving an 8.5% bond on or after Jan. 19, 2021. OFAC updated a Venezuela FAQ to reflect the change. The license was scheduled to expire Oct. 20.
The European Union announced sanctions against 40 people involved in the repression of peaceful protesters and election interference in Belarus, the European Council said in an Oct. 2 news release. The designations target senior Belarusian government officials, military leaders, and police and election officials. The U.S., the United Kingdom and Canada also announced Belarus sanctions last week (see 2010020041 and 2009300011).
Australia officially launched its new sanctions portal (see 2009230004), the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Oct. 1. The portal, Pax, will “improve the process for making enquiries” about Australian sanctions and applying for sanctions permits, the agency said. Australia also issued guidance for users transitioning to Pax and information on sanctions permits.
The United Kingdom added six entries to its Ukraine-related sanctions and revised 330 entries under its ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said in Oct. 2 notices.
The European Union and the United Kingdom on Oct. 2 delisted two leading political figures in Libya. Sanctions were removed from Agila Saleh, speaker of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives, and Nuri Abu Sahmain, former president of the General National Congress of Libya, due to Saleh’s recent “engagement in support of a negotiated political solution” and Sahmain’s absence from the Libyan political process, the EU said. “Delisting is appropriate wherever the criteria for listing are no longer met,” the EU said, “as was the case here.”