US sanctions former Ukrainian official, others under Magnitsky designations

The United States has sanctioned a former Ukrainian government official and several other individuals from around the world using Global Magnitsky designations, the Treasury Department said on Thursday.

"Today, on International Anti-Corruption Day, the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is targeting fifteen individuals and entities across several countries in Central America, Africa, and Europe," the Treasury Department said in a press release.

OFAC added Andriy Portnov, the former deputy head of ex-Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych's administration, along with several other individuals from Angola, El Salvador, Liberia and other countries to their Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list.

The Treasury Department said Portnov has cultivated extensive connections to Ukraine's judicial and law enforcement apparatus through bribery, the Treasury Department said. Portnov has been accused of using his influence to buy access and decisions in Ukraine's courts and undermining reform efforts.

OFAC also designated the Andriy Portnov Fund for being an entity owned or controlled by Portnov, the release said.

The Treasury Department explained that its actions are taken to fight corruption in line with the US Strategy on Countering Corruption released on Monday. The actions further this strategy by combating illicit activities and will make the US economy - and the global economy - stronger, fairer and safer from criminals and national security threats, the release added.

The US Department of Homeland Security's Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center assisted OFAC in identifying perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption for sanction designation, according to the release.

US law requires that sanctioned individuals' property and interests in the country be blocked and US citizens are prohibited from engaging in commercial activities with them. (ANI/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )

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