Unic Press UK: The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned Turkey’s Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gul and Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu for the arrest and detention of Pastor Andrew Brunson in Izmir, Turkey, since October 2016.
“These officials serve as leaders of Turkish government organizations responsible for implementing Turkey’s serious human rights abuses, and are being targeted pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, “Blocking the Property of Persons Involved in Serious Human Rights Abuse or Corruption,” which builds upon Treasury’s Global Magnitsky Act authorities. As the head of Turkey’s Ministry of Justice, Abdulhamit Gul is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being the leader of an entity that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse. As head of Turkey’s Ministry of Interior, Suleyman Soylu is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being the leader of an entity that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse,” the OFAC said.
The sanctions imposed on both men is such that their property, or interest in property, within U.S. jurisdiction is now blocked, and all U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
