The Council of the European Union extended sanctions against Venezuela until Nov. 14, 2020, citing ongoing human rights violations and actions aimed at undermining democracy, according to a Nov. 11 press release. The sanctions include an arms embargo and ban on trade of equipment “for internal repression.” The measures also include asset freezes on 25 Venezuelan officials.

The Council of the European Union adopted a framework for sanctions against Turkey for its illegal drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, the council said in a Nov. 11 press release. The sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes for people and entities responsible for the drilling in the territorial sea near Cyprus or who provide “technical or material” support for the drilling activities. The sanctions may also apply to “persons or entities associated” with the sanctioned people or entities. The EU Council recommended sanctions against Turkey in October after Cyprus released a statement condemning Turkey’s drilling (see 1910150024).

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control amended a Nicaragua-related designation on its Specially Designated Nationals List, according to a Nov. 8 notice. The changes include updated identifying information for Roberto Jose Lopez Gomez, who was sanctioned by OFAC on Nov. 7 for corruption along with two other Nicaraguan officials (see 1911070035).

The State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program is working well, a senior State Department official told reporters Nov. 7. The program was most recently used by the agency to offer up to $15 million for information that may further disrupt the U.S.-sanctioned Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (see 1909040055). The State Department announced the reward in hopes that it will lead to more sanctions as it continues its maximum-pressure campaign against Iran.

The U.S. plans to target and “aggressively” enforce measures against shipping companies across the globe that violate U.S. sanctions, a top State Department official said, according to a Nov. 6 Reuters report. David Peyman, deputy assistant secretary of state for counter threat finance and sanctions, told reporters in London that ships are being used as a “key artery to evade sanctions,” according to Reuters. “If behavior doesn’t change, notwithstanding our very frank conversations and clear messages, then we do look toward fully and aggressively and consistently enforcing U.S. sanctions across the board as a means to change behavior of bad actors,” he said.

The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation removed sanctions from two Iraqi entities, according to a Nov. 7 notice. The decision to remove sanctions from the two entities -- Iraq’s State Organization for Irrigation Projects and its State Organization for Land Reclamation -- reflects recent decisions by the United Nations Security Council, OFSI said.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned three Nicaraguan government officials involved in human rights abuses, election fraud and corruption Treasury said Nov. 7. Ramon Antonio Avellan Medal, deputy director general of the Nicaraguan National Police, was designated for carrying out the government's “repressive measures,” including arbitrary arrests and executions, the agency said. Lumberto Ignacio Campbell Hooker, acting president of the Nicaraguan Supreme Electoral Council, was sanctioned for running an entity that ensures President Daniel Ortega wins elections. Roberto Jose Lopez Gomez, director of the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute, was designated for corruption.

Switzerland adopted adjustments to its sanctions against North Korea that align with the exceptions of the export ban agreed to by the United Nations Security Council Sanctions Committee, Baker McKenzie said in a Nov. 6 post. The exceptions allow for exports of humanitarian aid to North Korea and will “increase legal certainty for those companies involved,” the post said. Switzerland’s amendment will take effect Dec. 1.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control released quarterly reports of licensing activities for certain authorizations to Iran and Sudan from January through September 2018, OFAC said in a Nov. 5 notice. The report provides information on license applications for exports of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Iran and Sudan under the licensing regime in the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enforcement Act of 2000, OFAC said. The reports contain statistics on the number of license applications and licenses issued for each product, the number of applications and licenses issued for each country and more.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned five Venezuelan government officials associated with corruption and “rampant violence,” Treasury said in a Nov. 5 press release. The agency said the sanctions “reflect a unified effort” against the Nicolas Maduro regime because the designated officials were previously sanctioned by the European Union or Canada. “This action harmonizes our efforts with those of our international partners,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.