The Office of Foreign Assets Control removed sanctions from Yemane Gebreab, an Eritrea government official and presidential adviser. The change took effect July 10 and removes Gebreab from OFAC’s Somalia sanctions.
China will take “reciprocal measures” in response to the U.S. imposition of sanctions against Chinese officials and a security agency involved in human rights violations in the Xinjiang region (see 2007090024). The U.S. sanctions are a “serious interference” in Chinese internal affairs, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a July 10 press conference, adding that the measures will cause “grave harm” to U.S.-China relations. China will impose similar measures against U.S agencies and people “with egregious practices on Xinjiang-related issues,” the spokesperson said. “The Chinese side will firmly fight back if the U.S. obstinately pursues such agenda.”
Switzerland announced 11 new designations against government officials in Venezuela, according to an unofficial translation of a July 7 notice. The sanctions target: Jose Adelino Ornelas Ferreira, Gladys del Valle Requena, Tania Valentina Diaz Gonzalez, Elvis Eduardo Hidrobo Amoroso, Juan Jose Mendoza Jover, Jorge Elieser Marquez Monsalve, Farik Karin Mora Salcedo, Dinorah Yoselin Bustamante Puerta, Luis Eduardo Parra Rivero, Franklyn Leonardo Duarte and Jose Gregorio Noriega Figueroa.
Russia will retaliate after the United Kingdom sanctioned 25 Russian nationals earlier this week (see 2007060025), Reuters reported July 7. A Kremlin spokesperson said it “can only regret such unfriendly steps” by the U.K., and added that “some kind of retaliatory response will apply to the extent that it suits the interests of the Russian Federation,” Reuters reported.
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation renewed five designations under its terrorism sanctions, a July 7 notice said. OFSI renewed sanctions for Qasem Soleimani, Hamed Abdollahi, Manssor Arbabsiar, Ali Gholam Shakuri and Abdul Reza Shahlai. The renewals took effect July 6.
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation issued a July 6 guidance detailing how sanctioned people and entities can request changes or repeals of their designations. OFSI also released a “Sanctions Challenge Form” for “designated persons” to request a review of their designation.
The United Nations Security Council granted a sanctions exemption to allow an organization in Finland to deliver humanitarian goods to North Korea, a June 24 letter said. Finn Church Aid, a nongovernmental organization, is authorized to ship food supplies and learning materials to primary school children for the next six months. Finland may conduct “necessary business and financial transactions only for the purchase of goods and services exempted” by the UNSC.
The United Kingdom will impose its first human rights sanctions before the summer recess of its Parliament, U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said July 1. Raab said he “will not speculate on or pre-empt who or what will be in those designations.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control July 2 removed sanctions from eight companies and vessels that had been sanctioned for operating in Venezuela's oil sector. The agency also revoked a general license that authorized certain transactions with two of the shipping companies, Marshall Islands-based Delos Voyager Shipping and its Delos Voyager and the Greece-based Romina Maritime and its Euroforce (see 2006180044). OFAC also removed designations from the Delos Voyager and Euroforce, along with the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel Voyager I, Marshall Islands-based Sanibel Shiptrade Ltd. and Adamant Maritime Ltd., and the Bahamas-flagged vessel Seahero, which were sanctioned June 2 (see 2006020024).
The European Council renewed sectoral sanctions against Russia for six months until Jan. 31, 2021, the council said June 29. The sanctions limit Russian banks’ access to the European Union market, block trade in defense and dual-use goods, and restrict the sale to Russia of sensitive technologies that can be used in its energy sector. The restrictions were originally introduced in 2014 in response to Russia’s actions to destabilize Ukraine.