UK imposes sanctions against Saudis, Russians for human rights violation

The United Kingdom on Monday announced a list of 49 "notorious" individuals and organisations including 20 Saudi nationals allegedly responsible for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

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“The first designations will cover those individuals involved in the torture and murder of Sergei Magnitsky, the lawyer who disclosed the biggest known tax fraud in Russian history," foreign minister Dominic Raab said, adding, "the designations will also include those responsible for the brutal murder of the writer and journalist Jamal Khashoggi."

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The list also includes 25 Russian nationals and individuals from North Korea accused of human rights violations. The list is a result of post-Brexit sanctions regime called the 2018 Sanctions Act.

Khashoggi was allegedly killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two year ago when he had entered the premises to collect papers he needed for his marriage. The UK list names Saud al-Qahtani who is believed to be closely involvedin Khashoggi's killing.

"These sanctions are a forensic tool, they allow us to target perpetrators without punishing the wider people of a country that may be affected," Raab said.

Sanctions against the individuals would involve their assets would be frozen and they would be disallowed to travel to the UK.

"Today this Government and this House sends a very clear message on behalf of the British people that those with blood on their hands, the thugs of despots, the henchman of dictators will not be free to waltz into this country to buy up property on the King's Road, to do their Christmas shopping in Knightsbridge or frankly to siphon dirty money through British banks or other financial institutions," Raab said.