UK Global Human Rights Sanctions

The Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 were laid before Parliament on 6 July 2020 by then-Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, making the UK one of the first jurisdictions after the United States and Canada to adopt a standalone "Magnitsky-style" human rights sanctions framework. The regulations were issued under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (SAMLA), the post-Brexit statutory basis that allows the UK to impose autonomous sanctions independently of the EU.

The regime permits the Foreign Secretary to designate persons reasonably believed to be involved in, responsible for, or facilitating serious violations of specific human rights. The rights covered are narrower than under some peer regimes and focus on:

• The right to life
• The right not to be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
• The right to be free from slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour

Designations trigger an asset freeze and, separately, a travel ban under immigration rules. Listings are administered by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), with licensing handled by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) in HM Treasury.

The first tranche of designations on 6 July 2020 covered 49 individuals and organisations, including Russian officials linked to the death of Sergei Magnitsky, Saudi nationals implicated in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Myanmar military generals connected to violence against the Rohingya, and two North Korean entities operating prison camps. Subsequent rounds have added designations relating to abuses in Xinjiang, Belarus, and elsewhere.

A separate Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regulations 2021 regime was added in April 2021 to cover serious corruption, which is not within the scope of the human rights regulations. Designated persons can challenge listings through ministerial review under SAMLA and, ultimately, the UK courts.