Canada recently imposed another round of sanctions to address gang violence in Haiti, targeting three Haitian gang leaders for human rights violations or for undermining peace in the country. The country sanctioned Luckson Elan, Gabriel Jean-Pierre and Ferdens Tilus. “Canada will not remain idle while criminal gangs in Haiti commit unspeakable violence, terrorize vulnerable populations with impunity and undermine efforts to restore law and order in the country,” said Mélanie Joly, Canada’s foreign affairs minister. The country has sanctioned a range of Haitian gang leaders and members of the Haitian elite in recent months for violence, corruption, drug trafficking and more (see 2301130019, 2212200016, 2212060008, 2211210026 and 2211040064).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week sanctioned 12 executives working for Kaspersky, the Russian cybersecurity software firm, for working in Russia’s technology sector. The designations target senior officials of AO Kaspersky Lab one day after the Commerce Department announced that it would be adding the lab, as well as Russia-based OOO Kaspersky Group and U.K.-based Kaspersky Labs Limited, to the Entity List (see 2406200032).
The Treasury Department this week sanctioned eight people with ties to the Mexico-based La Nueva Familia Michoacana drug cartel and issued a new advisory to help banks stop transactions linked to sales of fentanyl and other illegal drugs.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control urged a federal court late last month to dismiss the sole remaining claim in a lawsuit challenging the agency’s sanctioning of two former Afghan government officials for corruption.
The EU on June 20 agreed to a 14th package of Russia sanctions that will continue targeting Russia’s oil trade, designate various entities and people for their ties to Russia, and tighten restrictions against a so-called shadow fleet of vessels moving Russian oil below the price cap set by the Group of 7 nations and others (see 2405150025).
Canada this week sanctioned 13 people for their ties to the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a Russian prison in February and the country’s “continued gross and systematic violations of human rights.” The designations target senior officials and employees of Russia’s investigation agency, penitentiary service and police force who were involved in Navalny’s “ill-treatment” and death, Canada said. The U.S. and the EU also have sanctioned people responsible for Navalny's imprisonment and death (see 2402230035 and 2403220016).
The U.S. this week designated people and companies tied to the sanctioned president of the Serb Republic and his family, including businesses they use to generate wealth or evade sanctions, the Office of Foreign Assets Control said. OFAC also issued two new general licenses to authorize certain transactions with the people and companies and updated one existing license.
The U.S. last week sanctioned a “violent, extremist” Israel-based group for blocking convoys of humanitarian aid from being delivered to Palestinians in Gaza. The designation targets Tzav 9, which has worked for months to block roads, damage aid trucks and destroy life-saving equipment destined to Gaza, the State Department said. “We will continue to use all tools at our disposal to promote accountability for those who attempt or undertake such heinous acts, and we expect and urge that Israeli authorities do the same,” the State Department said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned several people and entities, along with one vessel, for helping to procure weapons for the Iran-backed Houthis or for shipping commodities to fund the Yemen-based group. The designations target procurement officers and companies in China along with others in Oman, Cameroon and the United Arab Emirates.
The Council of the European Union on June 17 extended until June 23, 2025, its sanctions regime related to the annexation by Russia of Crimea and the Ukrainian city of Sevastopol. The sanctions, which had been set to expire this month, include financial restrictions, import and export restrictions, and more.