European Council Extends Russia Sanctions, Designates Human Rights Offenders

The European Council on Jan. 29 added four people and one entity to its global human rights sanctions regime and renewed its Russia-related sanctions regime for another six months.

The council sanctioned three people working for the Russian judicial system who committed "arbitrary arrests and detentions" relating to the case of "Kremlin critic" Vladimir Kara-Murza. The council also sanctioned the Russian para-governmental firm Safe Internet League, which assists the Kremlin in "censorship practices," along with the league's chairwoman, Ekaterina Mizulina.

The council also announced that its sanctions regime covering parties enabling or responsible for the invasion of Ukraine will now run until July 31. The restrictions include individual sanctions and sectral restrictions on "trade, finance, technology and dual-use goods, industry, transport and luxury goods."