The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation on July 23 revised an entry under its ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaida sanctions regime. The entry is for Noor Wali Mehsud, the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan leader sanctioned by the U.K. July 16 (see 2007170017). Mehsud remains subject to an asset freeze.
Forty-three countries accused North Korea of violating a United Nations cap on refined petroleum imports and asked the U.N. to end all oil shipments to North Korea until year-end, Reuters reported July 24. The countries -- including the U.S., the United Kingdom and France -- told the U.N. that North Korea used illegal ship-to-ship transfers to import more than 1.6 million barrels of petroleum January through May. The countries asked the U.N. Security Council to issue a determination that North Korea has surpassed its annual cap of 500,000 barrels and to “inform member states that they must immediately cease selling, supplying, or transferring refined petroleum products to [North Korea] for the remainder of the year,” the report said.
The White House extended for one year beyond July 24 a national emergency that authorizes sanctions against people and entities associated with transnational criminal organizations, a July 22 news release said.
The United Kingdom on July 22 issued two orders to implement its global human rights sanctions regime for its overseas territories and the Isle of Man. The orders detail U.K. sanctions authorities and extend the regime to cover 12 overseas territories, including the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Anguilla. The U.K. announced the regime earlier this month with a set of sanctions against 49 people and entities for human rights abuses, marking the first time the U.K. has issued its own designations for human rights violations (see 2007060025).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned two associates of the Nicolas Maduro family for supporting corruption, the agency said July 23. OFAC designated brothers Santiago Jose Moron Hernandez and Ricardo Jose Moron Hernandez, who are “trusted partners” of Maduro and his son and who help “distribute assets” for the Maduro family around the world. Both brothers also use companies to conduct transactions on behalf of the Maduro family, OFAC said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on July 22 revised nine FAQs to reflect changes made to two Ukraine-related general licenses involving Russian automotive conglomerate GAZ Group issued earlier this month (see 2007160044). The FAQs clarify the authorizations in the licenses and update their language to reflect new expiration dates.
U.S. rail and steel industry groups asked the Treasury Department to sanction the China Railroad Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), saying the state-owned company is undermining the U.S. rail sector. CRRC plans to dominate the global rail market and has used state-backed financing, below-market pricing and “other anti-competitive tactics” that threaten the U.S. rail industry, the groups said in a July 22 letter. CRRC was also mentioned in a June Defense Department list of Chinese companies with ties to the country’s military (see 2006250024).
The United Kingdom on July 21 issued a guidance on its Sudan sanctions regime for after the U.K. leaves the European Union next year. The guidance includes compliance requirements for companies doing business with Sudan and an explanatory memorandum detailing the sanctions provisions. The U.K. said it plans to “soon” issue statutory guidance on the sanctions regime, including information on licensing.
The State Department designated Maikel Jose Moreno Perez, president of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice in Venezuela, for alleged involvement in transnational organized crime, the agency said July 21. The State Department also offered up to $5 million for information that leads to Moreno Perez’s arrest or conviction. Moreno Perez, who was sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control in 2017, has taken bribes to influence decisions of civil and criminal cases in Venezuela, the State Department said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control created a resource page for information on Hong Kong-related sanctions. The page includes links to frequently asked questions, guidance on U.S. sanctions and restrictions on Hong Kong, applying for a Hong Kong-specific license and more. President Donald Trump recently issued an executive order ending preferential treatment for Hong Kong and detailing a range of sanctions authorities and export bans related to the region (see 2007150019).