US to announce sanctions on China & Russia
The US alleges human rights abuses in Russia and China under its Global Magnitsky Act.
The United States is planning to announce new sanctions against China and Russia on Friday, alleging human rights violations in both countries, putting forward part of the restrictions related to the Global Magnitsky Act, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing sources.
The sanctions in question will freeze any assets Russia and China have, preventing travel to the US, in addition to imposing a ban on business dealings, according to the report.
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Furthermore, the sanctions will also target a number of entities of the Russian defense sector for allegations regarding the transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles, illegal fishing in the Pacific Ocean which the US has been blaming on China, according to the report.
In 2012, the US Congress adopted the Magnitsky Act, which then evolved into the Global Magnistky Act, through which the United States "allowed" itself to sanction any country, entity, or individual if they're accused of human rights abuses or corruption. The United Kingdom and Canada have adopted similar legislation.
Just last week, the United States Treasury Department confirmed that the US has imposed sanctions on three individuals and two entities in Lebanon over the alleged involvement in providing financial services and procuring weapons for Hezbollah.
In the same context, the Treasury announced that the US has imposed new North Korea-related sanctions on three individuals after Pyongyang's latest and largest intercontinental ballistic missile test on November 18.
The OFAC said in a notice on its website that the three senior DPRK officials are Jon Il Ho, Yu Jin, and Kim Su Gil, all of whom were designated for sanctions by the European Union in April.