International Sanctions May 2024

2024-05-31 International Sanctions Newsletters

Tabla de contenidos

1 EUROPEAN UNION
2 UNITED STATES
3 UNITED KINGDOM

EUROPEAN UNION

TERRORISM

On 3 May 2024, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1301 amending for the 342nd time Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities associated with ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida organisations was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
On 17 May 2024, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1390 implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/796 concerning restrictive measures against cyber attacks against the Union or its Member States was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The Implementing Regulation of 17 May 2024 amends Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/796 in view of the persistence and increase of malicious behaviour in cyberspace. It thus updates the grounds for including six persons and two entities on the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures contained in that annex.

VENEZUELA

On 13 May 2024, Council implementing regulation (EU) 2024/1340 implementing regulation (EU) 2017/2063 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Venezuela was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The Council considers that the restrictive measures in place in Venezuela should be extended until 10 January 2025. Annex IV to Regulation 2017/2063 should therefore be amended by Regulation 2024/1340 updating the entries for six natural persons and suspending the travel restrictions applied to four other listed natural persons.

IRAN

On 14 May 2024, Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1338 amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1529 concerning restrictive measures in view of Iran’s military support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
On 30 May 2024, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1601 amending Regulation (EC) No 474/2006 as regards the list of air carriers whose operation is banned or restricted within the Union was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The EU Council considers that given the situation, in response to Iran’s military support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the supply of unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles to groups in the Middle East and the Red Sea, ‘undermining peace and security’, new restrictive measures against Iran will be put in place. Regulation (EU) 2023/1529 is amended to impose asset freezing measures against individuals and entities involved in Iran’s missile programme or supplying unmanned aerial vehicles or related technology to Russia or armed groups ‘in contravention’ of UN Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015).

In addition, the export, sale, transfer or supply to Iran of other components that could be used in the development and production of UAVs is prohibited.

Among those sanctioned are senior Iranian military officers and Shahed Aviation Industries, a company linked to the powerful Revolutionary Guards.

RUSSIA

On 17 May 2024, Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1428 amending Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures due to actions by Russia destabilising the situation in Ukraine was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
On 21 May 2024, Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1469 amending Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures motivated by actions of Russia destabilising the situation in Ukraine has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
On 27 May 2024, Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1485 adopting restrictive measures in view of the situation in Russia was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The EU Regulation, adopted on 21 May 2024, amends Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 to include additional measures in response to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, highlighting the need to use extraordinary income generated by central securities depositories from assets withheld from the Central Bank of Russia to support Ukraine. These measures, effective from 15 February 2024, require depositaries to manage and account for this income separately, prohibiting its disposal until their financial contribution to the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine is decided. In addition, a specific percentage of these proceeds is to be earmarked for Ukraine’s financial support, while direct or indirect transactions with the Central Bank of Russia remain prohibited.

Regulation 2024/1428 of 17 May 2024 amends Annex XV of Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 to include new entities in the list of sanctioned entities, in response to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. Furthermore, the Council, in order to counter propaganda actions against the European Union by the Russian Federation, has decided to urgently suspend the broadcasting activities of four new media outlets in the Union: Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, Izvestija, Rossiiskaja Gazeta. These measures will remain in force until the aggression ceases. The sanctions imposed by the Union do not prevent the media concerned from carrying out other non-broadcasting activities on European territory, such as research and interviews, as long as fundamental rights are respected.

On 27 May 2024, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2024/1484, which establishes a framework for targeted restrictive measures in response to the situation in Russia and internal repression there. The decision identifies acts of internal repression as torture and other cruel treatment or punishment, arbitrary executions, disappearances, arbitrary detentions and serious violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The restrictive measures imposed by this decision include a travel ban on the persons listed in its annex, the freezing of funds and economic resources of certain listed persons and entities, and a prohibition on the provision of funds and economic resources to them. In addition, sectoral restrictions are imposed on the export of items that could be used for internal repression, as well as items intended for the monitoring or interception of information security and telecommunications.

SYRIA

On 27 May 2024, Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1497 amending Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

On 27 May 2024, the Council replaced the exemption of 18 December 2023, which adopted Regulation (EU) 2023/2877, by Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1496, which applies to the freezing of assets of designated natural or legal persons and entities, as well as to restrictions on making funds and economic resources available to such designated natural or legal persons and entities. This new exemption will apply until 1 June 2025 and provides, without prejudice to the review of Decision 2013/255/CFSP, for a further extension of this exemption after 1 June 2025.

NORTH KOREA

On 31 May 2024, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1602 implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1509 concerning restrictive measures against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Given that the DPRK has continued to pursue ballistic missile activities in violation of, and in blatant disregard of, the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, in addition to its military support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, six persons and three entities should be added to the list of those subject to restrictive measures set out in Annexes XV and XVI to Regulation (EU) 2017/1509.

UNITED STATES

RUSSIA

On 1 May 2024, OFAC adds to the SDN list almost 300 sanctioned targets including actors facilitating the procurement of technology and equipment for Russia. These targets have been included because of the US Treasury Department’s intensification of its actions to weaken Russia’s ability to sustain its war machine, in a multilateral campaign to limit the Kremlin’s revenues and its access to materials needed for its war against Ukraine. These measures target Russia’s military-industrial base, its chemical and biological weapons programmes, and companies and individuals in third countries, especially China, that provide critical inputs to Russia.
On 3 May 2024, OFAC has removed the following from the SDN list:
- EMPEROR AVIATION LTD
- EMPEROR AVIEISHN LTD
On 6 May 2024 OFAC delisted SBERBANK (SWITZERLAND) AG from the SDN List.
On 7 May 2024, OFAC added Dmitry Yuryevich KHOROSHEV, a leader of the LockBit ransomware group, to the SDN list.
On 14 May 2024, OFAC adds Dmitrii Aleksandrovichy BELOGLAZOV and three Russian entities to the SDN list: AKTSIONERNOE OBSHCHESTVO ILIADIS, INTERNATIONAL COMPANY JOINT STOCK COMPANY RASPERIA TRADING LIMITED, OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTIU TITUL, involved in the sale of frozen shares of the oligarch Deripaska through complex ownership structures to circumvent sanctions

LEBANON

On 2 May 2024, OFAC adds five individuals to the SDN List for assisting U.S.-designated Hizballah moneychanger Hassan Moukalled (Moukalled) and his company, CTEX Exchange, in circumventing sanctions and facilitating illicit activities in support of Hizballah. These individuals, including two co-founders of CTEX Exchange and two of Moukalled’s sons, run two companies in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that are being sanctioned simultaneously.

NICARAGUA

On 15 May 2024, OFAC adds Ali Yagoub GIBRIL, Osman Mohamed Hamid MOHAMED, and three entities to the SDN list: CAPITAL MINING INVESTMENT NICARAGUA (SA), COMPANIA MINERA INTERNACIONAL (SA), and TRAINING CENTER OF THE RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS IN MANAGUA. These two individuals have been sanctioned for leading the Rapid Reaction Force (RSF) war effort.

NORTH KOREA

On 16 May 2024, OFAC adds Aleksey BUDNEV, Rafael Anatolyevich GAZARYAN, and three Russian entities to the SDN list: RAFORT LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, TEKHNOLOGIYA OOO, TRANS KAPITAL LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, for facilitating the transfer of arms between Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

TERRORISM

On 24 May 2024, OFAC has delisted EP-MND; Aircraft Construction Number. 632.
On 28 May 2024, OFAC has added Jingping LIU, Yunhe WANG, Yanni ZHENG, for their cybercrime activities related to the malicious botnet linked to the residential proxy service known as 911 S5, and three entities to the SDN List: LILY SUITES COMPANY LIMITED, SPICY CODE COMPANY LIMITED, TULIP BIZ PATTAYA GROUP COMPANY LIMITED, for being owned or controlled by Yunhe Wang.