Canada recently announced another set of sanctions against Russia for its war against Ukraine, targeting 34 people and one entity that are “complicit” in spreading Russian propaganda. The designations, which target “disinformation agents,” are “responsible for spreading false narratives that serve as pretexts for the Russian regime’s unjustifiable war,” Canada said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated 14 individuals it says are part of "a network of al-Shabaab financial facilitators," according to an Oct. 17 OFAC notice. The targets have functioned as facilitators between the group and companies in Somalia, and have organized financing, money laundering, and weapons smuggling on behalf of the network, OFAC said. Other designees oversee the group's smuggling and weapons trafficking network in Yemen.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week renewed a general license that authorizes certain transactions with Russia-based Public Joint Stock Company Transkapitalbank. General License 28A, which replaces GL 28, renews the authorization through 12:01 a.m. EST Jan. 18, 2023, for transactions with TKB and its majority-owned subsidiaries if those transactions are destined for or originating from Afghanistan. The license was scheduled to expire Oct. 20 (see 2204200055).
Russian semiconductor imports have dropped 70% since the country became subject to broad Western sanctions and export controls earlier this year, the Commerce, Treasury and State departments said in a joint alert last week. The alert, which provides an overview of the U.S. restrictions, said the measures are having "significant and long-lasting consequences on Russia’s defense industrial base," which relies extensively on foreign-sourced items, especially on imported microelectronics. Russia's semiconductor shortage has also dramatically dropped automobile and consumer electronics production, the alert said. Sanctions and export controls have resulted in "a sharp economic contraction for Russia" that will continue to drag on the Russian economy for years, the alert said.
President Joe Biden last week extended for one year beyond Oct. 27 a national emergency that authorizes certain sanctions related to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The White House said the African country "has been marked by widespread violence and atrocities that continue to threaten regional stability."
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman this week urged technology companies to make use of a new Treasury Department general license that authorizes certain communication-related transactions with Iran. General License D-2 (see 2209230037) “represents a moment of opportunity” for tech companies to provide Iranian people with “essential” communication and Internet tools, Sherman said during an event hosted by the Global Network Initiative. Sherman “emphasized the United States’ commitment to helping Iranians, especially in light of their critical need for expanded access to Internet services while their government violently suppresses peaceful protests,” the State Department said in an Oct. 12 statement.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Oct. 7 sanctioned two people and three entities for their involvement in the export of petroleum to North Korea. The designations target Singapore-based Kwek Kee Seng, Taiwan-based Chen Shih Huan and Marshall Islands-registered company New Eastern Shipping, all of which were “involved in the ownership or management” of the Courageous, a vessel that has delivered refined petroleum to North Korea. OFAC also sanctioned Singapore-registered Anfasar Trading and Singapore registered Swanseas Port Services for being owned or controlled by Kwek.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Oct. 7 sanctioned one person and two entities in Malaysia for the “cruel trafficking” of endangered wildlife and the “products of brutal poaching.” The designations target Malaysian national Teo Boon Ching, the Teo Boon Ching Wildlife Trafficking Transnational Criminal Organization and Malaysian company Sunrise Greenland. OFAC said Ching specializes in transporting rhino horn, ivory and pangolins from Africa, and uses routes through Malaysia and Laos and “onward to consumers in Vietnam and China.”
The Biden administration is preparing to relax sanctions against Venezuela and the Nicolas Maduro regime to allow Chevron to resume oil activities in the country, The Wall Street Journal reported Oct. 5. The decision to loosen sanctions, which is still under discussion and may “fall through,” could eventually lead to the reopening of U.S. and European markets for Venezuelan oil, the report said. In exchange for the lifting of sanctions, the U.S. would expect Venezuela to resume talks with the country’s opposition party to discuss holding free and fair presidential elections in 2024, the report said. “There are no plans to change our sanctions policy without constructive steps from the Maduro regime,” Adrienne Watson, National Security Council spokesperson, told WSJ. The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The U.N. Security Council this week added one entry to its sanctions list and amended three others. The council added Ahmad al-Hamzi, commander of the Houthi Air Force and Air Defense Forces (see 2210050010). It also revised entries for Mahri Sidi Amar Ben Daha, Mohamed Ben Ahmed Mahri and Mohamed Ould Mataly.