The Bureau of Industry and Security rejected an appeal from Alexey Sumchenko for a temporary denial order issued against him in June after an administrative law judge said BIS “successfully demonstrated” that the denial order was needed to prevent an “imminent” violation of U.S. export controls.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on Sept. 24 suspended the export privileges of 11 people after they were convicted of export-related offenses, including illegal shipments involving oil to China, industrial equipment to Russia and the smuggling of guns and ammunition. The suspensions took effect from the date of their convictions.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Russian national Sergey Ivanov and virtual currency exchange Cryptex, which is operated by Ivanov. The move was announced concurrently with enforcement action from various U.S. and international enforcement agencies, including an indictment unsealed against Ivanov and fellow Russian national Timur Shakhmametov.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced a bill this week that could lead to sanctions being imposed on Chinese entities and officials involved in producing precursor chemicals for fentanyl.
While Congress began a long recess this week without passing Venezuela legislation, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere said lawmakers might address the matter when they reconvene in mid-November.
The House voted 243-174 late Sept. 25 to approve a bill that would impose property-blocking sanctions on Chinese Communist Party leaders for committing human rights abuses, harassing Taiwan or undermining Hong Kong's autonomy.
Both chambers of Congress on Sept. 25 approved extending until Dec. 20 the soon-to-expire Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. The 2019 law requires the president to sanction Chinese and Hong Kong officials responsible for human rights violations in Hong Kong (see 2409230017). The extension is included in a short-term government funding measure, or continuing resolution, that the House and Senate passed and that President Joe Biden plans to sign into law.
The U.S. this week sanctioned Prophane Victor, a former member of Haiti’s parliament, for helping and arming gangs in Haiti that have committed human rights abuses, the Treasury Department said. It’s also designating Luckson Elan, leader of the Gran Grif gang, for his involvement in human rights abuses stemming from gang activity in Haiti’s Artibonite department. Brad Smith, Treasury’s acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the agency is “committed to holding accountable those who seek to leverage human rights abuses, violence, and corruption to achieve their political aims.”
The U.K. added two entities to the Russia sanctions regime on Sept. 26. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation sanctioned Ocean Speedstar Solutions OPC Pvt Ltd and White Fox Ship Management FZCO for operating in the Russian energy sector, a "sector of strategic significance to the Government of Russia."
Switzerland on Sept. 23 amended the listings of six people and delisted eight others under its Russia sanctions regime. The updated or deleted listings include Russian corporate executives, business people, government officials and others. The country notably delisted former Formula One driver Nikita Mazepin, who successfully challenged his sanctions designation at the EU General Court (see 2403210019).