The United Kingdom foreign secretary on Thursday announced the UK is imposing asset freezes and travel bans on former President Yahya Jammeh and his associates for being responsible for some of the ‘most egregious’ human rights violations.
“In July of this year, I introduced the UK’s first Global Human Rights Sanctions regime to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations right around the world. And with these new powers, we sent a clear message to those with blood on their hands and those trying to profit from such crimes. And so today, on International Human Rights Day, I’m proud to announce the next round of targeted sanctions applied to those responsible for some of the most egregious human rights abuses,” Dominic Raab announced in a one-minute-and-fifty-eight-second Twitter video on Thursday.
He added: “We’re imposing asset freezes and travel bans on individuals and organisations in Venezuela, in Russia, in The Gambia and in Pakistan. In Venezuela, we’re placing sanctions on the military and police commanders responsible for the use of lethal force during peaceful protests that led to the deaths of demonstrators.
“In Russia, we’re placing sanctions on the political leaders and special forces who are responsible for using detention and torture against Chechnya’s LGBT community including beatings and the use of electric shocks.
“In The Gambia, we are targeting the former president and his associates, who were responsible for a wide range of serious human rights violations including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, kidnappings, torture and even rape.
“And finally in Pakistan, we are targeting a former senior police officer in Karachi who was responsible for aggressive practices in which the police killed over 400 people.”
