China sanctioned Johnnie Moore, a former commissioner for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, for his role in publishing the State Department's 2020 report on international religious freedom, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a May 26 news conference, according to a transcript in English. The report was “fraught with ideological bias,” and has “severely interfered in China's internal affairs,” the spokesperson said. Moore and his family are barred from entering mainland China, Macau and Hong Kong. The sanction is “counterproductive,” USCIRF Chair Anurima Bhargava said May 27. “It will only draw more international attention to the atrocities and horrors being perpetrated by the Chinese government against the Uyghurs, Tibetan Buddhists, Christians, Falun Gong practitioners, and countless other Chinese citizens.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control released its Myanmar Sanctions Regulations to implement a February executive order that authorized sanctions against the country for the military-led coup earlier this year (see 2102100060). The regulations, effective June 1, were released in an “abbreviated form” to give “immediate guidance to the public,” OFAC said in a notice. The agency plans to supplement the regulations with more “interpretive and definitional guidance, general licenses, and other regulatory provisions.” The regulations include general definitions, information on blocked and exempt transactions, licensing requirements and penalties.
Foreign ministers from the G7 countries said they are considering imposing more sanctions against Belarus (see 2105250027) for diverting a civilian plane earlier this week to arrest a journalist. In a May 27 statement, the ministers said they will “enhance” efforts, “including through further sanctions as appropriate, to promote accountability for the actions of the Belarusian authorities.”
U.S. and European officials condemned Belarus’ diversion of a civilian Ryanair flight this week for the purpose of arresting a journalist and called for global sanctions.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on May 21 designated three entities and 13 vessels under the Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Act (PEESA), which authorizes sanctions against Russia’s energy sector and its use of energy export pipelines. OFAC also issued a general license to exempt certain transactions with one of the sanctioned entities and issued two new frequently asked questions.
The Treasury and State departments May 20 sanctioned two senior Ansarallah military leaders for exacerbating Yemen’s civil war. The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Muhammad Abd Al-Karim al-Ghamari and the State Department designated Yusuf al-Madani. The agencies said the two committed human rights violations and terrorism on behalf of Ansarallah, also known as the Houthis.
The State Department designated Sali Berisha, Albania's former president, prime minister and Parliament member, for his involvement in significant corruption, the agency said May 19. The State Department also designated his spouse, son and daughter: Liri Berisha, Shkelzen Berisha and Argita Berisha Malltezi, respectively. The agency said Berisha misappropriated public funds and used his power to enrich himself and his political allies.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control amended the Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations to reflect the U.S. decision to revoke Sudan’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism (see 2012170015, 2101140018 and 2104120030). The final rule, effective May 20, removes a general license from the regulations and amends another license to remove references to the Sudanese government and Sudanese nationals.
The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation added Myanmar Gems Enterprise to its sanctions list, a May 17 financial sanctions notice said. The sanctions are related to Myanmar's February military coup and subsequent crackdown on protesters. OFSI believes that MGE is controlled by Myanmar's State Administration Council, which oversees the governance of ministries and actively undermines democracy in the Southeast Asian nation, the listing said.
The Treasury Department hasn’t found evidence of any foreign banks facilitating “significant transactions” for the Hong Kong officials sanctioned by the U.S. under the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, the agency said in a report released to Congress May 18. Treasury said it will “continue to actively monitor” for those transactions and said it has held “constructive conversations” with other nations about sanctions risks associated with China and Hong Kong. The agency also said it told foreign banks that it is willing to “engage further” with them about their potential sanctions exposure. Treasury released similar findings and statements in its report last year (see 2012140011).