EU executive to propose 'Magnitsky' tool for human rights breaches





Brussels - The European Commission will propose an EU mechanism to sanction human rights abuses worldwide, its chief said on Wednesday.



"I can announce that we will now come forward with a proposal," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said of a European Magnitsky-style tool.
The Magnitsky Act is a US mechanism to punish people found to have breached human rights abroad.
"We need to complete our toolbox," von der Leyen said, without providing further details.
The European Parliament has long been calling for a new sanctioning mechanism.
In December last year, EU leaders agreed to begin preparatory work on an act.
Under current legislation, the European Union can impose restrictive measures on states and through it on specific people, but this mechanism would permit the targeting of individuals directly.
The EU's foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday floated the idea of naming such an act after Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who was poisoned last month.

 


Wednesday, September 16th 2020
(dpa)
           


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