On Monday 27 May, the Council of the European Union adopted a new framework for restrictive measures against those responsible for serious human rights violations, repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and undermining democracy and the rule of law in Russia (see EUROPE 13353/2).
This new sanctions regime introduces trade restrictions on exporting equipment, which might be used for internal repression, as well as on equipment, technology or software intended primarily for use in information security and the monitoring or interception of telecommunication.
The Council has placed one entity on the list: the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation, the central authority managing the Russian prison system. Nineteen persons have also been sanctioned, including judges, prosecutors and members of the judiciary. According to the Council, they played a “played a key role in the imprisonment and ultimate death of Alexei Navalny, as well as the sentencing on politically motivated charges of Oleg Orlov, one of the most respected (...) human rights defenders in Russia (...) and artist Alexandra Skochilenko”.
The persons and entities are subject to an asset freeze, and EU citizens and companies are forbidden from making funds available to them. Natural persons are additionally subject to an EU travel ban.
See legal documents: https://aeur.eu/f/ce2; https://aeur.eu/f/ce3 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)