The Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020

UK Statutory Instrument 2020 No. 680 — creates 6 criminal offences.

Made

5 July 2020

In force from

6 July 2020

Extent

Not stated

Subject

International sanctions, export control and trade restrictions

Made under

Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations) — published with the instrument by the department that made it. © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

These Regulations are made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (c.13) to establish a sanctions regime for the purpose of deterring, and providing accountability for, activities which, if carried out by or on behalf of a State, would amount to serious violations of certain human rights by that State. The activities could be carried out by a State or non-State actor. The Regulations confer a power on the Secretary of State to designate persons who are, or have been, involved in such activities. Designated persons may be excluded from the United Kingdom and may be made subject to financial sanctions, including having their funds or economic resources frozen. The Regulations provide for certain exceptions to this sanctions regime (for example to allow for frozen accounts to be credited with interest or other earnings and to allow acts done for the purpose of national security or the prevention of serious crime). The Regulations also confer powers on the Treasury to issue licences in respect of activities that would otherwise be prohibited under the Regulations. Schedule 2 sets out the purposes under which the Treasury will issue such licences. The Regulations prescribe powers for the provision and sharing of information to enable the effective implementation and enforcement of the sanctions regime. The Regulations make it a criminal offence to contravene, or circumvent, any of the prohibitions in these Regulations and prescribe the mode of trial and penalties that apply to such offences. A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen. Instead a de minimis assessment has been prepared as this instrument is likely to entail some costs for businesses, but the net impact is estimated to be below £5 million per year.

Offences created by this instrument

• Asset-freeze in relation to designated persons regulation 11(3) · Status not determined · Strict liability
• A person (“P”) commits an offence if P knowingly or recklessly— a provides information that is false in a material… regulation 23(1) · Status not determined · Requires proof of a state of mind
• A person who purports to act under the authority of a Treasury licence but who fails to comply with any condition of… regulation 23(2) · Status not determined · Strict liability
• Finance: reporting obligations regulation 25(6) · Status not determined · Strict liability
• A person commits an offence, if that person— a without reasonable excuse, refuses or fails within the time and in the… regulation 29(1) · Status not determined · Requires proof of a state of mind
• Confidential information in certain cases where designation power used regulation 9(6) · Status not determined · Strict liability

What Parliament said about it

Contributions, debates and written statements mentioning this instrument by name. Parliamentary material is reused under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.

• Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime Commons · Written Statements · 6 July 2020 · The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and First Secretary of State (Dominic Raab)

  I have today laid before Parliament, under the powers of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020. These regulations enable sanctions to be imposed on those who are involved in serious violations or abuses of human rights. This sanctions regime is not about punishing countries or peoples. It is a smart tool allowing the Government to impose both asset freezes and travel bans on specific individuals or entities in order to provide accountability for and deter serious violations of human rights around the world and prevent those…

• Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 Commons · General Committees · 16 July 2020
• Sanctions and anti-Money Laundering Act 2018: Report on Regulations Commons · Written Statements · 20 July 2020 · The Minister for Asia (Nigel Adams)

  My noble Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon) has made the following written ministerial statement: Today the “Report on Regulations Made under Section 32 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018” will be laid in Parliament. The report details the two regulations laid under section 1 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 during the reporting period from 23 May 2019 to 22 May 2020, and states the relevant human rights purposes of those regulations. In addition to the actions set out in the report, the Government…

• Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 Lords · Lords Chamber · 29 July 2020
• Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime: Designations Commons · Written Statements · 14 December 2020 · The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and First Secretary of State (Dominic Raab)

  On 10 December, I imposed asset freezes and travel bans on 11 individuals and an asset freeze on one entity under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020. This was the third set of designations under this regime since the regulations were laid in July 2020. Criteria for designation under the regime include involvement in violations of the right to life, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and the right to be free from slavery. These designations address serious violations of human rights in Venezuela, Chechnya, Pakistan and…

• Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 Lords · Grand Committee · 24 June 2021
• Human Rights Sanctions Designations: Myanmar Commons · Written Statements · 13 December 2021 · The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Elizabeth Truss)

  On International Human Rights Day, 10 December, the UK announced a further tranche of sanctions in response to the military coup in Myanmar under the Myanmar (Sanctions) Regulations 2021. Asset freezes have been imposed on four Myanmar entities responsible for manufacturing or procuring arms and equipment and providing support and finance to the Myanmar military, which has continued to undermine democracy and violate the fundamental rights of the civilian population. The UK is committed to preventing the flow of arms to Myanmar and will continue to use sanctions and diplomatic pressure to…

• Football Governance Bill [HL] Lords · Lords Chamber · 18 December 2024 · Lord Scriven (LD)

  My Lords, I was unable to join your Lordships at Second Reading and have decided to add my name, and speak, only to amendments on areas where I have relevant knowledge. I speak as somebody who has for a number of years been a co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Democracy and Human Rights in the Gulf, and also led the first ever debate on sportswashing in your Lordships’ House in March of this year. Therefore, I will speak in favour of the amendments I have added my name to—Amendment 185 and in particular Amendment 193 from my noble friend Lord McNally, who cannot be here in his…

• Transnational Repression in the UK Commons · Commons Chamber · 1 September 2025 · Alex Sobel (Leeds Central and Headingley) (Lab/Co-op)

  I was thinking that I might have had a quiet first day back after recess, but I have now been in the Chamber for six hours and 20 minutes, so I am clearly working hard for my constituents yet again. I am also working hard on behalf of the Joint Committee on Human Rights for which I give this statement on the seventh report of the 2024-25 Session, “Transnational repression in the UK”. The Committee believes that transnational repression is a serious and under-recognised threat. The report argues: “Its impacts extend far beyond those directly targeted, creating a broader ‘chilling effect’ on…

• Human Rights Abuses: Magnitsky Sanctions Commons · Commons Chamber · 8 January 2026 · Sir Iain Duncan Smith

  I absolutely agree with my right hon. Friend. We have a tool here that can be used to drive back those who act badly—in this particular case, against a country illegally invading a neighbouring democratic state—so we should use this ability to sanction those involved and to increase such sanctions dramatically. I know Labour Members will be raising this issue, but they will have noted what he has said. The UK and the US have imposed extensive additional sanctions on Russian individuals and entities under the Russia-specific sanctions regimes. However, as my right hon. Friend the Member for…

• Transnational Repression in the UK (JCHR Report) Lords · Lords Chamber · 26 February 2026 · Lord Alton of Liverpool (CB)

  My Lords, it is an honour to open today’s debate on the Joint Committee on Human Rights report Transnational Repression in the United Kingdom. As chair of the JCHR, I pay tribute to my committee colleagues from both Houses and thank the terrific JCHR team, headed by our clerks Rhiannon Hollis, Moriyo Aiyeola and Lauren Marchant. I also thank the Library for its briefing note, the Minister and the officials who have briefed him for the work that has been done by him and his colleagues in the department, but especially the noble Lord, Lord Isaac, who will make his maiden speech today. We…

How Parliament handled it

Both Houses had to approve this instrument before it could take effect, and did so.

Procedure

Made affirmative — both Houses had to approve it

Could either House amend it?

No. A statutory instrument is put to each House as a whole thing, to be approved or not. Neither House can change a word of it.

Procedural history

• Instrument created 5 July 2020
• Instrument made (signed into law) 5 July 2020
• Instrument comes into force as law 6 July 2020
• Laid before the House of Commons 6 July 2020 · Commons
• Laid before the House of Lords 6 July 2020 · Lords
• Motion to approve the instrument tabled by the Government 7 July 2020 · Commons
• Considered by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (JCSI) 15 July 2020 · Commons, Lords
• Not drawn to the special attention of the Houses by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (JCSI) 15 July 2020 · Commons, Lords
• Motion to approve the instrument tabled by the Government 15 July 2020 · Lords
• Delegated Legislation Committee (DLC) debate 16 July 2020 · Commons
• Question put on motion to consider the instrument 16 July 2020 · Commons
• Motion to consider the instrument approved 16 July 2020 · Commons
• Considered by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (SLSC) 21 July 2020 · Lords
• Information paragraph provided by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (SLSC) 21 July 2020 · Lords
• Question on motion to approve the instrument put 21 July 2020 · Commons
• Instrument approved 21 July 2020 · Commons
• Chamber debate 29 July 2020 · Lords
• Question on motion to approve the instrument put 29 July 2020 · Lords
• Instrument approved 29 July 2020 · Lords
• Instrument remains law 29 July 2020
• Procedure concluded in the House of Commons and the House of Lords 29 July 2020 · Commons, Lords
• Considered for English votes for English laws (EVEL) certification 30 July 2020 · Commons
• Not certified under the English votes for English laws (EVEL) process 30 July 2020 · Commons
• Approval period ends 3 September 2020

From Parliament's Statutory Instruments service. Parliamentary material is reused under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.

Check the source

• This instrument on legislation.gov.uk The authoritative text, including amendments made since
• Other instruments from 2020