Australia announced on 21 May 2014 that it will expand financial sanctions and travel bans in relation to the situation in Ukraine. On 19 March 2014 Australia announced it would impose financial sanctions and travel bans against 12 individuals. The latest May announcement adds another 38 individuals, as well as 11 entities, to the designated persons list and brings the total number of individuals subject to the measures now at 50. Neither round of designations have yet been implemented, however.
The announcement comes a few days before presidential elections to be held in Ukraine on 25 May. It does not specify which additional individuals or entities will be listed, but Australia is expected to designate broadly similar individuals to those which the EU and the US have sanctioned.
The Australian sanctions consist of financial measures and travel bans. Entities subject to Australian law who engage in sanctioned activity without an authorisation can face substantial fines, whilst individuals can also be imprisoned for up to ten years.
We will post the list of designated persons when it is published.
