How the U.S. Combats Global Corruption and Human Rights Abuses
How the U.S. Combats Global Corruption and Human Rights Abuses
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a stark reminder that corrupt regimes are among the worst perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses.
On International Anti-Corruption Day and on the eve of Human Rights Day, the United States said on December 9 that it is taking dozens of actions to promote accountability for corruption and human rights abuse around the world.
In doing so, it is using a range of accountability tools, including Global Magnitsky sanctions and the Department of State’s Section 7031(c) visa restriction authority, to designate more than 65 individuals and entities connected to corruption and human rights abuses in 17 countries.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a stark reminder that corrupt regimes are among the worst perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses. The actions that the U.S. is taking reflect U.S. efforts to address these pervasive challenges globally.
“By exposing the practices of these malign actors, these designations disrupt illicit activity and networks, promote accountability, and impose costs for egregious behavior,” said the U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in a communique issued by the U.S. Department of State.
He added that state capture and systemic corruption enable autocrats to retain power, deprive societies of critical resources, and undermine democracy and the rule of law. In support of the U.S. Strategy on Countering Corruption, the corruption-related designations take aim at acts that contribute to state capture and democratic backsliding.
It includes corruption as a root cause of migration in Central America; misappropriation of state funds and embezzlement in Africa; and the solicitation of bribes in exchange for undue judicial influence by a corrupt judge in Ukraine. In support of the Haitian people, the U.S. is shining a light on those who have abused public positions for personal gain, contributing to the current crisis.
“Today’s human rights-related designations span the globe. Our designations target Russian officials and proxies who have perpetuated Russia’s illegal and deadly war in Ukraine through abhorrent filtration operations and forcible deportations of Ukraine’s citizens, including a growing number of children,” Blinken said.
The U.S. reiterates its condemnation of Iran’s brutal acts of violence against peaceful protestors, ongoing denial of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and pervasive oppression and state-sponsored violence against women.
“Our actions further aim to disrupt and deter the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) arbitrary detention and physical abuse of members of religious minority groups in the Tibetan Autonomous Region, and the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s role in restricting freedom of movement, mistreating asylum seekers, and exploiting laborers to generate revenue for the state,” Blinken said.
Among other critical designations, the U.S. is also taking action to curb the sexual abuse and exploitation of children and women in the Philippines and address impunity for decades-old human rights violations in Peru and Indonesia.
Finally, the designations also address the nexus between PRC-based illicit fishing and human rights abuse, including forced labor as a form of human trafficking. The actions of the individuals and entities sanctioned undermine fundamental labor and environmental standards, harm the economic prospects of local populations in the Indo-Pacific, and exacerbate the environmental and socioeconomic effects of climate change.
These actions build upon several prior Global Magnitsky designations this year, including designations of senior officials in Liberia for their involvement in ongoing public corruption; a fugitive oligarch widely recognized for capturing and corrupting Moldova’s political and economic institutions; and a Russia-linked network for exploiting the Guatemalan mining sector. In total, the U.S. has designated hundreds of individuals and entities for activity related to corruption and human rights abuses in 2022.
The United States says it is committed to ensuring that its authorities are applied to maximum effect, by addressing corruption and human rights abuse in all their forms, supporting the most vulnerable populations, and coordinating with allies and partners wherever possible.
