Guillermo Christensen, former office managing partner at Ice Miller, has joined K&L Gates as a partner in the antitrust, competition and trade regulation practice, the firm announced. Christensen's practice centers on advising clients on matters involving economic sanctions, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and export controls. In the past, Christensen has also represented clients in Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases, OFAC investigations and voluntary disclosures. Before becoming a lawyer, Christensen worked for the CIA for 15 years in various assignments, including in interagency roles with the Defense and State departments.
The EU dropped an entry from its North Korea sanctions regime, in a July 28 decision from the European Council. Pak Chun Il, the former North Korean ambassador to Egypt, was de-listed from the sanctions list following his death, the EuropeanSanctions blog reported. He was originally listed in November 2016. The council also updated the statement of reasons for 17 individuals and one entity in the decision, and added new identifying information for 59 individuals and five entities.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control reissued three Russia-related general licenses Aug. 3 to clarify that the licenses apply to Joint Stock Company State Transportation Leasing Company. The Aug. 2 GLs (see 2208020032) omitted the word Leasing in the company’s name. The GLs are otherwise unchanged.
The U.K. added two entries, removed one and amended 18 others under its Russia sanctions regime. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation Aug. 2 notice said the U.K. re-added two Rosneft Oil board members -- Didier Casimiro and Zeljko Runje -- to the list, subjecting them to an asset freeze and travel ban. The Rosneft executives had been dropped from the list in July. OFSI delisted Olga Ayziman.
The U.K. amended 45 entries under its North Korea sanctions regime and one entry under its Venezuela sanctions list. In a pair of notices, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation also issued corrections for three entries under the North Korea restrictions and two entries under the Venezuela sanctions list.
The Bureau of Industry and Security completed an interagency review of an interim final rule involving new export control decisions for emerging technologies agreed to at the 2021 Wassenaar Arrangement plenary. The rule, which was first sent for interagency review March 8 (see 2203090009), was completed Aug. 2. It will harmonize the Commerce Control List with a portion of Wassenaar’s 2021 decisions for certain “recently developed or developing technologies,” BIS said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security this week suspended the export privileges of a Venezuela-based cargo airline for violating U.S. export controls. The agency said Empresa de Transporte Aereocargo del Sur, also known as Aerocargo del Sur Transportation or EMTRASUR, acquired “custody” of a U.S.-origin Boeing aircraft from Mahan Air -- a sanctioned Iranian airline (see 2205160035) -- and illegally flew that plane between Venezuela, Iran and Russia.
The EU dropped nine individuals from its Guinea-Bissau sanctions regime, in a July 28 move by the European Council. The individuals are Gen. Augusto Mario Co, Gen. Saya Braia Na Nhapka, Col. Tomas Djassi, Cranha Danfa, Col. Celestino de Carvalho, Tcham Na Man, Maj. Samuel Fernandes, Cmdr. Agostinho Sousa Cordeiro and Lt. Lassana Camara. The council also amended the title of the sanctions regime to include the phrase "concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guinea-Bissau."
The U.K. extended a General License permitting the winding down of positions involving Rosbank for another two months, until Sept. 30, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said. The license was originally published in June and permits an individual or entity to wind down any transactions to which they are a party involving Rosbank or one of its subsidiaries, including closing out any positions, repaying loans, withdrawing deposits and closing accounts.
A new Senate bill could impose sanctions on companies doing business with entities committing human rights abuses against Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang region. The Sanctioning Supporters of Slave Labor Act, introduced this week by Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., would impose secondary sanctions on people or entities doing business or providing “support” for entities that have been sanctioned for Uyghur-related human rights abuses, the lawmakers said. They said a companion bill has been introduced in the House.