The U.S. this week sanctioned five people and one entity with ties to the Intellexa Consortium, a web of companies that builds and uses spyware products. The designations target Felix Bitzios, Andrea Nicola Constantino Hermes Gambazzi, Merom Harpaz, Panagiota Karaoli and Artemis Artemiou, who have ties to companies that are part of the consortium, and Aliada Group, a British Virgin Islands-based company and member of the consortium. The U.S. has previously sanctioned people and entities with ties to the group, which develops commercial spyware known as Predator that’s used to target government officials, journalists and others (see 2403050020).
The U.S. sanctioned two Georgian government officials and two Georgian citizens for their ties to the violent suppression of peaceful protests and expression in the country.
The Group of 7 nations and EU said they are preparing new sanctions in response to recent Iranian weapons transfers to Russia, following a similar statement by the Council of the European Union one day earlier (see 2409130036).
The Bureau of Industry and Security is preparing a new interim final rule that would revise its space-related export controls “for changes made under Commerce authorities.” BIS sent the rule for interagency review Sept. 13. No further information was released.
After initially facing scrutiny for helping to facilitate Russia-related transactions, Cypriot banks have made significant progress in improving their compliance programs in recent months and are now adhering to all U.S. sanctions rules, the country’s top banking industry officials said this week. They also said they face hurdles implementing some of the sanctions, including potential legal challenges from customers.
The U.K.’s Export Control Joint Unit issued two penalties valued at 348,000 pounds (about $457,000) combined between April and June, the agency announced last week. It fined one exporter 258,000 pounds (about $339,000) in April for alleged illegal transfers of dual-use goods, and fined another exporter 90,853.20 pounds (about $119,000) in June for alleged illegal exports of military goods. ECJU didn’t provide more information.
Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced a bill Sept. 12 that would require the Commerce, Defense and Treasury departments to notify each other when adding a foreign entity or person to an export control or sanctions list. The proposed Sanctions Lists Harmonization Act is intended to improve coordination among the agencies and “prevent bad actors, such as Communist China, Russia and Iran, from taking advantage of a disjointed policy,” Rubio said. The measure, which was referred to the Senate Banking Committee, is a companion to a bill the House passed Sept. 9 (see 2409100024).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week issued a reminder to industry to file annual reports on blocked property by Sept. 30. Holders of blocked property must provide the agency "with a comprehensive list of all blocked property held as of June 30 of the current year by September 30," OFAC said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week added two Russian nationals and three Russian entities to its Specially Designated Nationals List and issued a new general license.
A new final rule released last week by the Office of Foreign Assets Control will clarify the agency’s process for issuing certain blocked property orders or orders that impose “less than full blocking” restrictions. The rule, effective Sept. 17, describes the three types of actions OFAC may take with respect to property or interests in property, the “forms of notice” that OFAC may use, and how parties affected by blocked property orders can contact the agency with “inquiries.” The agency said those affected by sanctions “should have an opportunity to understand the nature of OFAC’s action and its impact on their property or interests in property.” The rule also makes other minor revisions and clarifications to its sanctions regulations.