The Office of Foreign Assets Control doesn’t use its sanctions to target people for activities protected by the U.S. Constitution, including protections of free speech, religious practices and religious beliefs, the agency said in a new frequently asked question published Aug. 27. It said U.S. people and companies don’t violate sanctions “for engaging in such constitutionally protected activity,” adding that “limitations and authorizations are in place to ensure that U.S. sanctions do not restrict the exchange of information or informational materials, or personal communication.” People and companies don’t need OFAC authorization to “engage in activities that are not prohibited by or are otherwise exempt from sanctions,” the agency said. It said questions about sanctions and constitutionally protected activities should be directed to OFAC’s online compliance hotline.

The U.K. on Aug. 27 removed one person from its ISIL (Da'esh) and al-Qaida sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. Moroccan national Yassine Chekkouri was delisted from the sanctions regime. The U.N. Security Council deleted Chekkouri's designation days earlier after receiving a delisting request (see 2408260002).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control updated two frequently asked questions related to its Cuba restrictions. One FAQ outlines the circumstances under which the U.S. dollar can be used to conduct transactions in Cuba or with Cuban nationals, and another explains that U.S. banks are allowed to process “U-turn” transactions involving Cuba. OFAC issued a final rule in May to authorize those transactions -- which allow people to transfer funds if those transfers originate in the U.S. and terminate outside the U.S. and “where neither the originator nor beneficiary is subject to U.S. jurisdiction” -- along with other measures to loosen its Cuba restrictions (see 2405280033).

The U.N. Security Council recently removed Yassine Chekkouri from its ISIL (Da’esh) and al‑Qaida sanctions list “after concluding its consideration” of a delisting request received by the council. The council didn’t provide a specific reason for Chekkouri’s delisting. Chekkouri was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2002 for his ties to al‑Qaida and his involvement in arms and weapons trafficking.

Companies should prepare for the annual Sept. 30 deadline for filing reports on blocked property to the Office of Foreign Assets Control, Davis Wright said in a client alert last week. The law firm also noted that an interim final rule issued by OFAC in May requires filers of blocked property to now only submit those documents electronically instead of through mail, along with other "new requirements" for reports of blocked property and rejected transactions (see 2405080023).

The U.S. issued nearly 400 new financial blocking sanctions last week against people and companies in Russia and across Asia, Europe and the Middle East for aiding Russia’s war effort against Ukraine. The designations, issued by the Treasury and State departments, target “numerous” Russia-related procurement and sanctions evasion networks along with businesses involved in the Russian energy and mining industries, supporting the country’s military industrial base, connected to Russian state-owned entities, helping to forcibly re-educate Ukrainian children and more.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week outlined several initiatives it has recently completed or is planning to launch to modernize its website, sanctions guidance, and licensing and compliance applications.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Michel Martelly, the former Haitian president, who “abused his influence” to help drug traffickers move cocaine and other drugs to the U.S., the agency said.

A final rule released Aug. 20 by the Office of Foreign Assets Control adds a new general license for Myanmar and updates “terminology and references” across other sanctions program regulations, OFAC said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to explicitly say this week whether the U.S. would consider sanctioning Israeli government officials who may be contributing to Israeli violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, saying only that the U.S. wants Israel to “prevent this kind of violence.”