On Monday 29 January, the Council of the European Union approved additional restrictive measures against four Russian individuals and one Russian entity as part of the EU’s global human rights sanctions regime.
They are three employees of the Russian judicial system - judges Valentina Levashova and Ludmila Smolkina and prosecutor Oleg Alypov - “responsible for serious human rights violations” in connection with the case of opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza.
In June 2023, the EU already imposed sanctions on nine people in connection with Mr Kara-Murza’s 25-year prison sentence, which the EU considered to be politically motivated (see EUROPE 13195/2).
The ‘Safe Internet League’, a Russian para-governmental organisation, and its president, Ekaterina Mizulina, are also subject to restrictive measures. According to the Council, “the Safe Internet League enables the Russian government to reinforce censorship practices by silencing content creators and artists on the Internet who produce content that does not correspond to the official government line”.
These persons and entities are subject to an asset freeze and the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, to them or for their benefit, is prohibited. In addition, a ban on travel to the EU applies to individuals.
The human rights regime runs until 8 December 2026 (see EUROPE 13306/25).
To see the implementing regulation, go to https://aeur.eu/f/ama (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)