Almost 50 individuals and groups behind the most “notorious” human rights abuses of recent years will face sanctions from the UK.
Those implicated in the death of Sergei Magnitsky, the Russian lawyer, in 2009, will have all UK assets frozen and will be banned from entering the country, while Saudi Arabian officials involved in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi two years ago will also face sanctions.
Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, has said that the move sends a "clear message". In the Commons, he continued that "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.
"The powers enable us to target a wider network of perpetrators including those who facilitate, incite, promote or support any of these crimes and this extends beyond state officials to non-state actors as well."
When probed as to whether these measures would damage the UK’s trade relationship with Saudi Arabi, Raab responded that: "We can't turn a blind eye to gross violations of human rights.”
On China’s exclusion from the list, Raab said that: "It's pretty clear… that we are willing to stand up for our vital national interests. But the regime that we have set out is evidence based.”
Russia has called the measures “pointless” and has threatened to retaliate. The embassy in London released a statement which read: "Russia reserves the right to respond to today's unfriendly decision by the UK on the basis of reciprocity.”
They continued that the move would do little to “improve Russian-British relations".
These sanctions are the first the UK has taken independently, out with the jurisdiction of the EU and UN.
