The Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 implement the UK’s global human rights sanctions regime. The regime is aimed at imposing financial sanctions on persons involved in serious human rights violations, namely a violation of an individual’s i) right to life; ii) right not to be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; and iii) right to be free from slavery, and not to be held in servitude or required to perform forced or compulsory labor. Additional information can be found here.

The UK also adopted an anti-corruption sanctions regime through the Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regulations 2021. The regime is aimed at preventing and combating serious corruption which is identified within the regulations as bribery or misappropriation of property. Additional information can be found here.

Both the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 and the Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regulations 2021 impose targeted asset freezes on designated persons (both the freezing of funds and economic resources) and also impose travel bans on individuals designated by the Secretary of State.