Four persons and two entities were approved for additional restrictive measures on the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (the ‘Regime’) by the Council of Europe. Established in 2020, the Regime aims to address human rights abuses and violations, listing those who have committed acts such as genocide, crimes against humanity and other serious breaches of human rights. The Regime acts as a mechanism for the EU to continue to promote fundamental human rights including democracy, dignity and equality.
The latest additions follow the Council’s concern over the disproportionate impact women and girls experience during armed conflict, as expressed in November 2022. Those added to the list are all acknowledged as having committed serious violations of human rights across the globe, particularly torture and widespread and systematic sexual and gender-based violence.
Those added to the list were from Russia, The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (‘DPRK’) and two from Syria. These individuals were held responsible by the Council of Europe for the acts of armed forces and officials under their command, committing various degrading and torturous acts, often of a sexual and gender-based nature. The violence was used on civilians in some cases, but in DPRK, it was primarily on those who showed opposition to the regime or were imprisoned or detained.
Two entities were also added to the Regime, one being a detention facility and one being a Haitian gang, both of which rely on violence against women in their practices.
Once added to the Regime, the people and entities are subject to freezing of assets and it is prohibited for others to provide funds or economic resources to them or for their benefit, in a direct or indirect manner. For natural persons on the list, a travel ban to the EU also applies. 117 people and 33 entities in total are now experiencing such restrictions.
Click here to read the Council Decision.