The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on Tuesday announced it has added 18 individuals across six geographies to its Specially Designated Nationals list for their roles in serious human rights abuse.

These individuals are located in Burma, Pakistan, Libya, Slovakia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan. Additionally, OFAC has designated six entities for being owned or controlled by one of the individuals in Slovakia. These six entities are Hotel Holding, S.R.O.; International Investment Development Holding A.S.; International Investment Hotels Holding A.S.; Sprava A Inkaso Pohladavok, S.R.O.; Sprava A Inkaso Zmeniek, S.R.O.; and Tranz-Tel, A.S. 

OFAC designated these individuals and entities pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption.

“Treasury’s action focuses on those who have killed, or ordered the killing of innocents who stood up for human rights including journalists, opposition members, and lawyers,” said Deputy Secretary Justin Muzinich.

Compliance implications

As a result of this action, all property and interests in property of the individuals named above, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other designated persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or otherwise exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.

More information about the individuals and entities can be found here.

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Jaclyn Jaeger is a freelance contributor to Compliance Week after working for the company for 15 years. She writes on a wide variety of topics, including ethics and compliance, risk management, legal, enforcement, technology, and more.

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