Sanctions enforcement is intensifying globally, with authorities expanding their toolkits and increasing cross-border cooperation. This session explored key developments in sanctions enforcement in the US, UK, EU and Turkey and the implications of these for the progression of civil and criminal investigations. This session first examined key developments in enforcement infrastructure and penalties frameworks across the different jurisdictions. This included the EU’s push for harmonisation, the UK’s new body for the enforcement of trade sanctions…
On May 2, 2023, for the second time this year, the US and Turkish governments took joint action in imposing sanctions. Specifically, the United States and Türkiye imposed sanctions against two individuals determined to be financial facilitators of Syria-based terrorist groups Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (“HTS”) and Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (“KTJ”), both of which are sanctioned by the United States and the United Nations. This follows a prior joint action in January targeting parties associated with…
Since March 10, 2023, Türkiye has stopped the transit of some goods to Russia via Türkiye without an official explanation and despite the fact that no sanctions against Russia have been formally imposed. The information we obtained indicates that the Turkish customs officials and representatives of the Ministry of Trade justified the halt by explaining that there is a technical problem in the e-customs system. Furthermore, within this context, Turkish customs officials added that they…
On January 5, 2023, the US and Turkish governments took joint action imposed sanctions targeting four individuals and two entities determined to be associated with the financial facilitation network of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (“ISIS”). See here for the US action and here for the Turkish action. The designations target the Islamic State group’s head of foreign financing, Abd Al Hamid Salim Ibrahim Ismail Brukan al-Khatuni, and his network coordinated by his sons.…