European Parliament Urges to Introduce New Sanction Regime for Human Rights Violation

The members of the European Parliament have supported the resolution urging to new sanctions aimed at punishment of state and non-state actors for gross violations of human rights, the EP’s press service informed. 

In a resolution adopted on Thursday, the European Parliament urges to the introduction of a new sanction regime “at EU level to impose asset freezes and visa bans on individuals involved in grave human rights violations.” 

The list must include state and non-state actors, which contributed, physically, financially or through acts of systemic corruption, to such abuse and crimes, all over the world. 

MEPs stated that the decision to list and delist individuals involved in the indicated activities must be based on clear, transparent and specific conditions “directly linked with the crime committed, in order to guarantee a thorough judicial review.” 

They also urge the EU countries to create a mechanism for the enforcement of sanctions and a European oversight, as there were incidents in the previous months when European companies and countries violated the EU’s sanctions. 

“The new sanctions regime would strengthen the EU’s role as a global human rights actor and should symbolically carry the name of Sergei Magnitsky,” MEPs state. 

The sanctions against individuals from the so-called Magnitsky Act have already been approved by Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Canada, the UK and the USA.