Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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449. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he plans to introduce legislation which would enable the Government to impose Magnitsky sanctions on persons credibly accused of gross human rights abuses; the timeframe expected for such legislation to be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53083/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland implements UN and EU sanctions, but does not plan to introduce any unilateral sanctions regimes. Ireland fully supports the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (GHRSR), which was adopted on the 7 December 2020. It allows the EU to target individuals, entities and bodies, including state and non-state actors, responsible for, involved in or associated with serious human rights violations worldwide. This EU sanctions regime applies to acts of genocide, crimes against humanity and other serious human rights violations and abuses. Other human rights violations can fall within its scope if they are considered to be widespread, systematic and in contravention to the objectives of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy.

To date, sanctions in the form of travel bans and asset freezes have been imposed on a broad list of individuals and entities involved in human rights abuses, drawn from six different jurisdictions: China, DPRK, Eritrea, Russia, Libya and South Sudan. These designations send a strong message that the promotion and protection of human rights are a key priority for EU external action.

Ireland actively participates in discussions at EU level on potential listings under the GHRSR, as well as in the geographic sanctions regimes which the EU has established, and sees the imposition of targeted sanctions against individuals and entities as an important foreign policy tool.