The U.S. and several allies announced a host of new sanctions against people and entities responsible for the Belarusian government’s disputed 2020 presidential election and recent human rights abuses. The sanctions, coordinated with Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom, also target Belarus and President Alexander Lukashenko’s government for the forced diversion of a commercial plane last month to arrest a journalist, the U.S. Treasury and State Department said June 21. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control also issued a new general license to authorize certain transactions with Belarus and published additional sanctions guidance.
The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation held two webinars on complying with the country's financial sanctions regulations. The webinars, on how to complete a license application and on humanitarian licensing, were published on the agency's website in a June 17 guidance. Both events will be available for viewing until Aug. 16. OFSI will hold a separate webinar on reporting requirements for licenses June 24.
The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee adopted a resolution calling for the European Union Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime to include corruption as a punishable offense. Unlike the sanctions regime to the U.S. Global Magnitsky Act, the EU's current regime lacks corruption penalties, a June 16 news release said. Parliament members “should also be able to propose cases of serious human rights violations, in order to increase the legitimacy of the sanctions regime,” the release said. “In addition, Members insist on an inclusive sanctions process to facilitate input from civil society.”
Mohammad Ali al Habbo has been added to the United Kingdom's sanctions regime on ISIL and al-Qaida, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said in a June 18 financial sanctions notice. Al Habbo is a Syrian national based in Turkey who has been identified as providing financial services to ISIL.
Congress may want to “evaluate” the Commerce Department's efforts to place export controls on emerging and foundational technologies and should consider pursuing reforms surrounding multilateral export regimes, the Congressional Research Service said in an updated report on export controls issued this month.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued guidance and three new general licenses to expand humanitarian-related exemptions for shipments and activities in sanctioned countries. The licenses apply to Iran, Syria and Venezuela and are accompanied by six new frequently asked questions to “further support the critical work” of humanitarian and COVID-19 aid to people in sanctioned regions. The guidance comes amid criticism from humanitarian groups that U.S. sanctions continue to inadvertently block aid shipments (see 2105260047 and 2105280004).
The European Union will implement further sanctions on Belarus in response to the forced landing of a Ryanair flight and subsequent arrest of journalist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, Reuters said in a June 16 report. The new wave of sanctions will include seven individuals linked to the Belarus aviation industry, according to a European diplomat. A fourth package of sanctions related to Belarus' 2020 election was already being prepared when the forced landing took place.
The Bureau of Industry and Security fined a Portland-based forwarding company $20,000 after the company illegally exported rifle scopes to the United Arab Emirates and China. The company, USGoBuy, LLC, exported more than $1,200 worth of scopes controlled for crime control reasons without their required licenses, BIS said in a June 17 order. Along with the penalties, USGoBuy also agreed to conduct an external audit of its export compliance program.
The State Department should issue more sanctions against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega regime, which is arresting political opposition leaders and continues to commit human rights violations, a group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers said. In a June 15 letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the lawmakers said the U.S. can expand on the designations issued June 9 against members of Ortega’s inner circle (see 2106090055).
Companies involved in export controlled technology should be careful not to violate anti-discrimination regulations in their job postings, which have become “low-hanging fruit” for U.S. enforcement officials, trade lawyers said. The lawyers said many companies subject to deemed export regulations inadvertently advertise that only U.S. citizens can apply for their job posting, which could invite penalties from the Justice Department.