Use of chemical weapons in the assassination attempt on Alexei Navalny: EU sanctions six individuals and one entity

16 Oct 2020 12:41 PM

The Council yesterday imposed restrictive measures against six individuals and one entity involved in the assassination attempt on Alexei Navalny, who was poisoned with a toxic nerve agent of the “Novichok” group on 20 August 2020 in Russia.

The decision follows the political agreement reached by the Foreign Affairs Council on 12 October 2020.

The adopted restrictive measures consist of a travel ban to the EU and an asset freeze for individuals, and an asset freeze for the entity. In addition, EU persons and entities are forbidden from making funds available to those listed.

The designation of the six persons and one entity linked to the Navalny case took place in the framework of the restrictive measures against the proliferation and use of chemical weapons.

This is the same legal instrument used to sanction those responsible for the possession, transport and use of a toxic nerve agent in the Skripals' case in Salisbury in March 2018. With the new designations, there are 15 persons and 2 entities listed under the chemical weapons sanctions regime.

The legal acts, including the names of the persons concerned, are available in the EU Official Journal

• Official Journal of the European Union, 15 October 2020
• Meeting page – Foreign Affairs Council, 12 October 2020
• EU sanctions regime for chemical weapons renewed for one year (press release, 12 October 2020)
• How and when the EU adopts sanctions (background information)

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