The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation added to its sanctions regimes for Russia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Dec. 9. OFSI designated Anto Joseph for making funds available in ways that threaten Ukraine, and sanctioned Alain Goetz for contributing to "serious human rights violations" in the DRC.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned the Houthi National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs and its leader, Abdulqader Al-Murtadha, for operating prisons in Yemen on behalf of the Houthis, a group labeled by the U.S. as a terrorist organization (see 2401170025). OFAC also sanctioned Fawaz al-Akhras for providing “financial, material, or technological support for” Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, who reportedly left the country after his regime was overthrown by rebels over the weekend. OFAC said the sanctions mark International Human Rights Day on Dec. 10.
The U.S. sanctioned 28 people and businesses connected to a global gold smuggling and money laundering network based in Zimbabwe, including Kamlesh Mansukhlal Damji Pattni, who leads the network and has bribed government officials, the Office of Foreign Assets Control said. OFAC said the sanctions mark International Anti-Corruption Day and were coordinated with the U.K. and the FBI.
The U.K. on Dec. 6 corrected a sanctions listing it made earlier in the week related to domestic counterterrorism efforts (see 2412030021). The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation listed Brian Sheridan under suspicions that he was providing financial assistance to members of the New Irish Republican Army. OFSI updated his listing to note that he has a U.K. passport.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week issued another reminder for users of its website to fill out a survey (see 2410110053) that will give OFAC feedback on how it can streamline the site’s navigation and improve its “sanctions guidance, resource accessibility, and user experience.” The survey closes Dec. 30.
The U.N. Security Council and the U.K. this week revised three entries on their ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaida Sanctions lists to add identifying information or to reflect their death. The changes update the entry for Salim Mustafa Muhammad al-Mansur, who has ties to terrorism and who the U.N. said has been held by the Iraqi intelligence service since 2019 and has been sentenced to death; and Maysar Ali Musa Abdallah al-Juburi, who the U.N. said reportedly died in Syria in April. The council also updated the name for Muthanna Harith Salman al-Dari, who was accused of providing support to the Islamic State group.
Beijing announced new sanctions this week against 13 U.S. companies and six senior executives working in the defense industry for their involvement with arms sales to Taiwan, according to an unofficial translation of a Dec. 5 notice from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The designations target several drone companies, including Brinc Drones and Kratos UAV Systems, and defense industry officials, including two Raytheon executives. The ministry said the sanctions freeze their Chinese assets and block them from doing certain business with Chinese companies.
The U.S. announced sanctions this week against five people and four companies connected to the TGR Group, a network of businesses and their employees that help Russian elites evade sanctions. The designations were the result of an international investigation by the U.S., the U.K. and the United Arab Emirates that the U.K.’s National Crime Agency said exposed Russian money laundering networks with touchpoints in Great Britain, the U.S., the Middle East and South America.
The U.K. sanctioned Northern Ireland resident Brian Sheridan under suspicions that he was providing financial assistance to members of the New Irish Republican Army, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. The designation was made under the domestic counterterrorism sanctions regime. U.K. Economic Secretary to the Treasury Tulip Siddiq said the listing is the "first use of the Treasury-led domestic counter terrorism financial sanctions regime targeting Northern Ireland related terrorism."
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned 35 vessels and ship management firms involved in transporting Iranian petroleum to foreign markets, which OFAC said provides the country’s government with money to develop weapons and fund terrorism. The designations target a “sprawling network” of tankers that carry the flags of the Marshall Islands, Guyana, the Cook Islands, Liberia, Honduras, Panama and more, as well as their managers based in the United Arab Emirates, mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Seychelles and elsewhere.