U.S. GLOBAL MAGNITSKY SANCTIONS

The best-known of the United States government’s (USG) targeted sanctions tools to address human rights abuse and corruption is the Global Magnitsky (GloMag) sanctions program. Although inspired by and named for Russian whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky, the program has worldwide applicability. Its flexible criteria and mandate for consultation with civil society have made it an attractive tool for NGOs recommending sanctions. However, the USG often defaults to using country-specific sanctions programs for human rights abuses and corruption instead of GloMag, when such a program exists.

History

Congress passed the original Magnitsky Act in 2012 in response to the death in custody of Russian tax advisor Sergei Magnitsky, who had uncovered a major tax fraud conspiracy. The Magnitsky Act authorized U.S. sanctions against Russians involved in Magnitsky’s brutal detention and the conspiracy he uncovered, as well as people involved in human rights abuses against other activists. The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act was passed in 2016. The executive branch implemented the law in 2017 by issuing Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which created a sanctions program covering a broad range of human rights abuses and acts of corruption anywhere in the world. In 2022, the Act was permanently reauthorized.