The European Council imposed restrictive measures against the Wagner Group, a Russia-based paramilitary organization, on December 13, 2021 and also sanctioned 8 individuals and 3 entities connected with the organization. According to the Council, the Wagner group is responsible for violating international law, including international human rights law, for sending private military operatives to certain conflict zones around the world in order to promote violence, steal natural resources and intimidate citizens. The Council considers the group to be a threat to the people in the countries where they operate, while the sanctioned individuals were listed for their participation in serious human rights abuses that include torture, executions and arbitrary killings against citizens, or destabilizing activities in multiple countries including Libya, Syria, Ukraine and the Central African Republic.
The Council imposed restrictive measures under 4 separate sanctions regimes, including the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, sanctions related to the situation in Libya and Syria, and for undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity – restrictive measures that include asset freezes and travel bans in the EU and also prohibit persons and entities in the EU from directly or indirectly making funds available to listed parties.
European Council Press Release | Official Journal of the EU – Volume 64 December 13, 2021