1Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2009 of 22 July 2024 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses

Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2009 of 22 July 2024 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Whereas: (1) On 7 December 2020, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 of 7 December 2020 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses (OJ L 410 I, 7.12.2020, p. 13). . (2) On 8 December 2020, in the Declaration by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on behalf of the European Union regarding the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, the Union and its Member States reaffirmed their strong commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. The EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime underscores the Union’s determination to enhance its role in addressing serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide. Achieving the effective enjoyment of human rights by everyone is a strategic goal of the Union. Respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights are fundamental values of the Union and its common foreign and security policy. (3) In its conclusions of 14 November 2022, the Council expressed concern about the disproportionate effect that armed conflicts continue to have on women and girls worldwide, as well as the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence including conflict-related sexual violence, offline and online. It committed to enhanced efforts to counter such violence in order to ensure full accountability and to combat impunity. Furthermore, in its conclusions of June 2014, the Council had stressed that combating and eliminating all forms of violence against women requires coordinated policies at all relevant levels and a comprehensive approach targeting the key issues of prevention, under-reporting, protection, victim support, and the prosecution of perpetrators as well as other measures. The strategic use of restrictive measures reinforces this approach by increasing pressure to prevent further violations and abuses and, in coordination with other Union instruments in the human rights toolbox, draws attention to these violations and abuses and those responsible. (4) In that context, four persons and two entities should be included in the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures set out in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999. (5) Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 should therefore be amended accordingly, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 22 July 2024. For the Council The President J. Borrell Fontelles

Annex

ANNEX The Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 is amended as follows: (1) the following entries are added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies under heading A. Natural persons: Names (Transliteration into Latin script)NamesIdentifying informationReasons for listingDate of listing115.Abdel Karim Mohammad IBRAHIM عبد الكريم محمود إبراهيم (Arabic spelling) Position(s): Chief of staff of the Syrian Army POB: Tartous, Syria Nationality: Syrian Gender: male Abdel Karim Mohammad Ibrahim is the chief of staff of the Syrian Army. The Syrian state, including its military, commits systematic and widespread torture, rape and sexual and gender-based violence against civilians. As the chief of staff of the Syrian Army, Abdel Karim Mohammad Ibrahim is responsible for the actions of the armed forces under his command. Therefore, Abdel Karim Mohammad Ibrahim is responsible for serious human rights violations, including torture and systematic and widespread sexual and gender-based violence. 22.7.2024116.Ali Mahmoud ABBAS علي محمود عباس (Arabic spelling) Position(s): Minister of Defence and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army DOB: 2.11.1964 POB: Rif Dimashq, Syria Nationality: Syrian Gender: male Ali Mahmoud Abbas has been the Minister of Defence of Syria and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Army since 2022. The Syrian state, including its military, commits systematic and widespread torture, rape as well as sexual and gender-based violence against civilians. As the Minister of Defense of Syria and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Army, Ali Mahmoud Abbas is responsible for the actions of the armed forces under his command. Therefore, Ali Mahmoud Abbas is responsible for serious human rights violations, including torture and systematic and widespread sexual and gender-based violence. 22.7.2024 117.RI Chang Dae Position(s): Minister of State Security Nationality: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Gender: male Ri Chang Dae has been the Minister of State Security in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) since 2022. Women and girls showing opposition to the regime or held in detention or prison centres in DPRK are systematically targeted by violence, particularly under the guard of the Ministry of State Security and in centres run by that Ministry. As head of the Ministry of State Security, Ri Chang Dae is responsible for numerous acts of sexual and gender-based violence committed by officials of that Ministry. Ri Chang Dae is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations, including systematic and widespread sexual and gender-based violence. 22.7.2024 118. Evgeniy Aleksandrovich SOBOLEV a.k.a. Yevhen Oleksandrovich SOBOLEV Евгений Александрович Соболев (Russian spelling) Position(s): Head of the penitentiary service of the Russian occupation authorities in the Kherson region DOB: 25.7.1985 POB: Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region, Ukraine

Nationality: Russian Gender: male Passport No.: 3125216313 Evgeniy Sobolev is the head of the penitentiary service of the Russian occupation authorities in the Kherson region. Under his command, a widespread and systematic pattern of human rights violations in detention facilities in areas under the control of the Russian occupation authorities, including the Kherson region, has been documented. This pattern includes torture, and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and sexual and gender-based violence. The practices involved include rape, forced nudity, genital electrocution and threats of genital mutilation. Persons suspected of passing information to the Ukrainian authorities, or of supporting the Ukrainian armed forces, have been specifically targeted. In his capacity as head of the penitentiary service of the Russian occupational authorities in the Kherson region, Evgeniy Sobolev is responsible for serious human rights violations, including torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment and other human rights violations, including systematic and widespread sexual and gender-based violence. 22.7.2024 (2) the following entries are added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies under heading B. Legal persons, entities and bodies: Name (Transliteration into Latin script)NameIdentifying informationReasons for listingDate of listing32.Kokorat San RasType of entity: Haitian gang operating mostly in the Artibonite and North West region Kokorat San Ras is a gang operating in Haiti that came into existence and gained strength between 2015 and 2017. It operates in specific areas (Artibonite/North-West) and its influence keeps on growing. Kokorat San Ras is well known for its use of violent attacks and physical aggression in order to gain control of more areas. During those attacks, rape and other violence against women are a common weapon. Kokorat San Ras is therefore responsible for serious human rights abuses, including systematic and widespread sexual and gender-based violence. 22.7.2024 33.Onsong County MSS Detention Centre Type of entity: detention centre Place of registration: Onsong County, North Hamgyong Province, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Onsong County MSS Detention Centre is a detention facility in North Hamgyong Province of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The facility is managed by the DPRK’s general police force, the Ministry of People’s Security (MPS), and is staffed by MPS state officials and correctional officers. In the Onsong County MSS Detention Centre, torture is an established part of the interrogation process, used to extract a full confession of those arbitrarily detained. Examples of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment include the prolonged denial of food, starvation, denial of medical assistance, lack of hygiene, positional torture. Detainees in the Onsong County MSS Detention Centre are also subject to rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence, such as enslavement, invasive body searches, forced abortions, and systematic targeting of women’s capacity to reproduce.