The European Council extended European Union sanctions against Syria for one year, until June 1, 2021, according to a May 28 press release. The sanctions will continue to target members of the Syrian regime, their supporters, and businesspeople who aid the “suffering” of the Syrian people, European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell said in a statement. The council also removed sanctions from two people and one company that “halted their sanctionable behavior,” along with two additional deceased persons.

The Trump administration is ending sanctions waivers for certain activities with nuclear projects in Iran, the State Department said May 27. The move will end waivers covering “all remaining” Iranian nuclear projects that originated under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which allowed Chinese, Russian and European companies to work on Iranian nuclear sites.

The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation amended a sanctions entry for Amir Muhammad Sa'id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, according to a May 27 notice. He is still subject to an asset freeze. The U.K. and the United Nation Security Council sanctioned the ISIS leader earlier this month (see 2005260021).

The U.S. is considering a variety of sanctions, asset freezes and controls on transactions for China’s planned crackdown on Hong Kong’s autonomy, according to a May 26 report from Bloomberg. The Treasury Department could target Chinese officials and companies, the report said.

The United Nation Security Council designated Amir Muhammad Sa’id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla, the new leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, according to a May 21 notice. The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation updated its sanctions list to reflect the change. The ISIS leader was sanctioned by the U.S. in March (see 2003180022).

The State Department certified that Nicaragua is not taking steps to combat corruption, protect civil rights and hold fair elections, which could lead to additional U.S. sanctions, according to a notice. Under the Nicaragua Human Rights and Anticorruption Act of 2018, the U.S. may impose or sustain asset-freezing measures and other penalties after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo certifies that Nicaragua is not taking “effective steps” to stop corruption and other activities.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned two senior Nicaraguan government officials for human rights violations and corruption, Treasury said in a May 22 press release. The sanctions target Julio Cesar Aviles Castillo, the commander-in-chief of the Nicaraguan Army, and Ivan Adolfo Acosta Montalvan, the Minister of Finance and Public Credit.

Ukraine’s president issued a decree amending its sanctions list, according to a May 18 post on the EU Sanctions blog and a May 14 notice from Ukraine. The decree imposes sanctions on Russian entities, bans withdrawing certain funds outside Ukraine, cancels certain licenses and permits, and delists 233 entries from sanctions, the post said. The decree also renews a ban for three years on certain Russian internet service providers and social media sites, the post said.

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control removed a general license for certain Zimbabwean entities because they are no longer subject to sanctions, according to a notice. The move removes a license that authorized transactions with the Agricultural Development Bank of Zimbabwe and Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe, both of which were removed from Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals List in 2016, the notice said. OFAC also updated the “authorities citation” of the Zimbabwe Sanctions regulations “to shorten citations to conform with Federal Register guidance.”

AT&T closed its DirecTV operations in Venezuela due to U.S. sanctions, the company said May 19. AT&T said U.S. sanctions block the broadcast of “Globovision and PDVSA’s channels, both of which are required under DIRECTV’s license to provide pay TV service in Venezuela.” The company said its U.S. leadership closed its Venezuelan operations “because it is impossible for AT&T’s DIRECTV unit to comply with the legal requirements of both countries.”