January 21, 2016: Streamlining the process Down Under

This time, DFAT eschewed including the PDF version of the UN update of an Iranian sanctions change and just sent an email with a link:

Notice of Changes to the Consolidated List
Iran sanctions changes
In light of the provisions of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), the UN has revoked the listing of a designated entity for Iran (see http://www.un.org/press/en/2016/sc12209.doc.htm). In addition, some corrections have been made to the Consolidated List to reconcile some typographical errors. Accordingly, on 22 January 2016, DFAT updated the Consolidated List.
The updated Consolidated List can be downloaded from the following page:

January 21, 2016: UN, OSFI removes Bank Sepah from Iran sanctions

On Thursday, Canadian regulators followed the action of the United Nations Iran (2231) Sanctions Committee and removed the following listing:

IRe.007 Name: BANK SEPAH AND BANK SEPAH INTERNATIONAL

A.k.a.: na F.k.a.: na Address: na Listed on: 24 Mar. 2007 Other Information: Bank Sepah provides support for the Aerospace Industries Organisation (AIO) and subordinates, including Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG) and Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group (SBIG), both of which were designated under resolution 1737 (2006). [Old Reference # E.47.A.8]

listed under their RIUNRI (Regulations Implementing the United Nations Resolutions on Iran) program.

Links:

OSFI Notice

UN Notice

January 21, 2016: UN, OSFI amend one Al-Qaida sanctions listing

Canadian regulators instituted the following amendments, made by the UN's Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, to the following listing:

QDi.276 Name: 1: AKRAM 2: TURKI 3: HISHAN 4: AL-MAZIDIH

Name (original script): أكرم تركي ھاشم المزيده

Title: na Designation: na DOB: a) 1974 b) 1975 POB: na Good quality a.k.a.: Akram Turki Al-Hishan Low quality a.k.a.: a) Abu Jarrah b) Abu Akram Nationality: na Passport no.: na National identification no.: na Address: a) Deir ez-Zor Governorate, Syrian Arab Republic b) Iraq c) Jordan Listed on: 11 Mar. 2010 (amended on 10 Dec. 2015, 15 Jan.2016 Other information: Other possible date of birth: 1979. He is a cousin of Ghazy Fezza Hishan Al Mazidih (QDi.277). Financial facilitator of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, listed as Al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI) (QDe.115) as of 2015.

Links:

OSFI Notice

UN Notice

 

January 17, 2016: HK SFC Iran Sanctions Circular


Anti-Money Laundering / Counter-Terrorist Financing

United Nations Sanctions (Iran) (Amendment) Regulation 2016

United Nations Sanctions (Iran) (Amendment) Regulation 2016 (“Amendment Regulation”) made under the United Nations Sanctions Ordinance (Cap. 537) (“UNSO”) was published in the Gazette (L.N. 8 of 2016) on 15 January 2016 with immediate effect.

The Amendment Regulation amends the United Nations Sanctions (Iran) Regulation (Cap. 537AF) to incorporate decisions of the United Nations Security Council under paragraphs 21 to 23 of Resolution 2231. It mainly implements new exemptions to the sanctions measures in respect of Iran Note 1.

The aforesaid regulation can be found on the Government’s website (http://www.gld.gov.hk/egazette/pdf/20162002/es2201620028.pdf).

Links:

HK SFC Notice

HK SFC Circular

January 12, 2016: UN, DFAT, OSFI remove ABD AL WAHAB ABD AL HAFIZ from Al-Qaida sanctions list

Yesterday, Australian and Canadian regulators removed the following person from their anti-terror sanctions:

QDi.157 Name: 1: ABD AL WAHAB 2: ABD AL HAFIZ 3: na 4: na

Name (original script): عبد الوهاب عبد الحافظ

Title: na Designation: na DOB: 7 Sep. 1967 POB: Algiers, Algeria Good quality a.k.a.: a) Mouloud Ferdjani, born 7 Sep. 1967 in Algeria b) Abdelwahab Abdelhafid, born 30 Oct. 1968 in Algeria c) Abdel Wahab Abdelhafid, born 30 Oct. 1968 in Algeria d) Abdewahab Abdel Hafid, born 30 Oct. 1968 in Algeria e) Abedel Wahad Abdelhafio, born 30 Oct. 1968 in Algeria f) Abdelouahab Abdelhafid, born 30 Oct. 1968 in El Harrach, Algeria (appears in Algerian passport number 3525282) Low quality a.k.a.: a) Mourad b) Saidc) Rabah Di Roma Nationality: Algerian Passport no.: Algerian passport number 3525282 (issued under name Abdelouahab Abdelhafid (good quality a.k.a. f)) National identification no.: na Address: na Listed on: 17 Mar. 2004 (amended on 26 Nov. 2004, 9 Sep. 2005, 21 Dec. 2007, 25 Jan. 2010, 16 May 2011, 17 Aug. 2015 ) Other information: Sentenced in absentia in Italy to 5 years of imprisonment. Arrest warrant issued by the Italian authorities on 19 May 2005, cancelled on 18 March 2008. Linked to support for the Organization of Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) (QDe.014). Photo available for inclusion in the INTERPOL-UN Security Council Special Notice. Review pursuant to Security Council resolution 1822 (2008) was concluded on 30 Jul. 2009.

After his removal by the United Nations Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee.

Links:

OSFI Notice

UN Notice – PDF (DFAT), HTML (OSFI)

 

How one gets delisted by the United Nations Sanctions Committees

The focal point for getting delisted by one of the UN's sanctions committees is called, amazingly enough, the “Focal Point for De-Listing”:

The Focal Point for De-listing, established pursuant to resolution 1730 (2006) (hereafter “the Focal Point”) receives de-listing requests and performs the tasks described in the annex to that resolution, as well as the tasks described in paragraph 37 of resolution 2083 (2012) and paragraphs 62 and 63 of resolution 2161 (2014).

Work and Mandate of the Focal Point

As part of its commitment to ensure that fair and clear procedures exist for placing individuals and entities on sanctions lists and for removing them, as well as for granting humanitarian exemptions, the Security Council, on 19 December 2006, adopted resolution 1730 (2006) by which the Council requested the Secretary-General to establish within the Secretariat (Security Council Subsidiary Organs Branch), a focal point to receive de-listing requests and perform the tasks described in the annex to that resolution.

Petitioners, other than those whose names are inscribed on the list created pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1333 (2000) and 1989 (2011) (“the Al-Qaida Sanctions List”), can therefore submit de-listing requests either through the focal point process outlined in resolution 1730 (2006) or through their State of residence or citizenship.

Petitioners whose names are inscribed on the Al-Qaida Sanctions List can submit their de-listing requests through the Office of the Ombudsperson.

On 17 December 2012, the Security Council adopted resolution 2083 (2012) by which it authorized the Focal Point to receive travel ban and assets freeze exemption requests in relation to individuals, groups, undertakings or entities on the Al-Qaida Sanctions List. On 17 June 2014, the Council adopted resolution 2161 (2014), further authorizing the Focal Point to receive communications from individuals removed from the Al-Qaida Sanctions List and those claiming to have been subjected to the sanctions measures mistakenly.

The Focal Point’s mandate includes the following :

    • Receive de-listing requests from a petitioner
    • Verify if the request is new or repeated; if the latter, and with no additional information, return the request to the petitioner
    • Acknowledge receipt of the request to the petitioner and inform the petitioner on the general procedure for processing that request
    • Forward the request to the reviewing governments
    • Put reviewing governments into contact with each other, as appropriate
    • Forward to the relevant Committee a reviewing government’s recommendation, if any, to de-list and the accompanying explanation
    • Inform the relevant Committee should a reviewing government oppose de-listing
    • Inform all members of the relevant Committee should any reviewing government not comment either way within three months
    • Convey to the relevant Committee all communications from Member States
    • Inform the petitioner of the outcome of the de-listing procedure
    • Receive and forward to the 1267/1989 Committee requests from listed individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities on the Al-Qaida Sanctions List, for exemptions to the assets freeze and travel ban measures
    • Transmit to the individuals, groups, undertaking or entities the 1267/1989 Committee’s decision on the exemption request
    • Receive and transmit to the 1267/1989 Committee communications from individuals who: have been removed from the Al-Qaida Sanctions List; claim to have been subjected to the sanctions measures as a result of false or mistaken identification or confusion with individuals listed on the Al-Qaida Sanctions List

Link:

Focal Point for De-Listing