The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week outlined several initiatives it has recently completed or is planning to launch to modernize its website, sanctions guidance, and licensing and compliance applications.

A final rule released Aug. 20 by the Office of Foreign Assets Control adds a new general license for Myanmar and updates “terminology and references” across other sanctions program regulations, OFAC said.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Michel Martelly, the former Haitian president, who “abused his influence” to help drug traffickers move cocaine and other drugs to the U.S., the agency said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to explicitly say this week whether the U.S. would consider sanctioning Israeli government officials who may be contributing to Israeli violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, saying only that the U.S. wants Israel to “prevent this kind of violence.”

Sanctions compliance departments should consider updating their bookkeeping policies and practices to account for an upcoming expansion to U.S. sanctions-related record-keeping rules, which could lead to higher enforcement risks, Freshfields Bruckhaus said in a client alert last week.

The U.K. added 20 frequently asked questions on Aug. 15 pertaining to its Russia sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. The questions cover a range of topics including securities restrictions, payment systems and financial services. The FAQs also cover the process for reviews and appeals for civil penalties and reporting requirements, which OFSI said requires individuals to report personal financial circumstances changes to OFSI "as soon as practicable." This requirement comes into play when the value of a party's economic resources changes by over 10,000 British pounds.

The European Council on Aug. 14 removed two people from its Yemen sanctions regime. Ali Abdullah Saleh, former president of Yemen who has died, and his son, Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, former commander of Yemen's Republic Guard, were delisted. The U.N. and the U.K. also recently delisted them (see 2408020018).

Switzerland on Aug. 13 added 27 people to its Belarus sanctions regime and amended the listing of one person, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs announced. The sanctions additions include various Belarusian law enforcement officials responsible for cracking down on activists and protesters. The revised listing is for prosecutor Padkavyrava Iryna Vladimirovna, who was formerly sanctioned under the name Padkavyrava Iryna Uladzimirauna.

The Biden administration is pushing to implement the new Iran sanctions authorities that Congress approved four months ago, a National Security Council spokesperson said Aug. 15.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned people, companies and ships for helping to transport oil and commodities on behalf of the Iranian military and for Sa’id al-Jamal, an Iranian-backed financial facilitator for the Yemen-based Houthis. OFAC said the companies and ships have moved goods to Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, helping finance the Houthis’ “reckless targeting” of commercial shipping in the Red Sea.