The Bureau of Industry and Security's effort to control emerging and foundational technologies is creating “substantial uncertainty” in the technology sector, Microsoft President Brad Smith told the Senate Armed Services Committee Feb. 23, according to his prepared testimony. Smith urged BIS and the Commerce Department to create a “balanced and coherent framework” to protect U.S. technologies without “isolating” U.S. companies, including from working with China.
In a case against an Iranian banker accused of violating U.S. sanctions on Iran, Judge Alison Nathan for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York lambasted federal prosecutors over their mishandling of evidence and dereliction of responsibility. Stopping short of finding them guilty of knowingly withholding crucial information or intentionally misrepresenting facts to the court, Nathan in a Feb. 22 ruling called for a full investigation of the prosecutors' actions by the Department of Justice's Office of Professional Responsibility and said she hopes the government's reforms on evidence handling training will ensure that similar action is not repeated.
Democratic senators introduced a bill that would impose sanctions on the Honduran president and suspend certain export licenses for controlled defense shipments to Honduras. Under the bill, introduced Feb. 23, the U.S. would designate Honduras' President Juan Orlando Hernandez for “significant corruption” and human rights abuses, the lawmakers said. It would also block the U.S. from issuing export licenses for shipments of controlled defense items, services and munitions to Honduran police or military forces.
The U.N. Security Council amended 92 entries on its sanctions list for entries associated with ISIL (Da’esh) and al‑Qaida, the UNSC said Feb. 23. The update made “technical amendments” to the entries.
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs began a review of a final Bureau of Industry and Security rule that will amend the Export Administration Regulations to expand controls on Myanmar. OIRA received the rule Feb. 23. BIS recently announced increased restrictions on exports to Myanmar, including a more strict licensing policy and the suspension of certain license exceptions (see 2102170005).
The Biden administration plans to coordinate more closely with Congress on U.S. weapons sales than the previous administration did, including on potentially controversial exports to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, said Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Closer coordination on weapons sales would be a departure from some sales under the Trump administration, which was criticized by House and Senate Democrats for stonewalling congressional oversight of emergency arms transfers (see 2008110027).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions at a record pace during the Trump administration but saw a significant decline in enforcement actions and relied more heavily on voluntary disclosures as opposed to its own investigative resources, researchers said. Under President Donald Trump, OFAC also shifted its focus away from large financial institutions and instead targeted businesses in trade, manufacturing, travel and technology sectors, a trend that could promote more sanctions compliance across various industries.
The European Union Foreign Affairs Council recommended placing restrictive measures on the individuals responsible for the arrest and persecution of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, European Commission High Representative Josep Borrell announced in a Feb. 22 press briefing. The sanctions, which include an asset freeze and travel ban, would mark the first use of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime that became law in December (see 2012070010). The decision to impose these sanctions will now be subject to an administrative review by the European Council where they will likely be ultimately decided and imposed within a week, Borrell said.
The Senate on Feb. 23 voted 78-20 to confirm Linda Thomas-Greenfield as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. During a January confirmation hearing, Thomas-Greenfield said she supports sanctions against China for human rights violations, vowed to counter China’s takeover of leadership positions at international standards-setting bodies, and said she will support U.S. arms sales to Taiwan (see 2101270053).
The United Nations Security Council amended one sanctions entry related to the Central African Republic, a Feb. 22 notice said. The change updates and revises identifying information for Bi Sidi Souleman, who was sanctioned last year (see 2008060019) for leading Retour, Reclamation, Rehabilitation, a militia group involved in warfare and illegal arms trafficking.