Financial Sanctions Notice Belarus 08 December 2023

Introduction 

1. The Belarus (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (the "UK Regulations") were made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 and provide for the imposition of financial sanctions, including the freezing of funds and economic resources of persons involved in conduct enabling or facilitating the disappearance of Yury Zakharanka, Viktar Hanchar, Anatol Krasouski or Dzmitry Zavadski, or the failure to investigate properly or institute criminal proceedings against the persons responsible for those disappearances; the commission of serious human rights violations in Belarus; the repression of civil society or democratic opposition in Belarus; other actions, policies or activities which undermine democracy or the rule of law in Belarus; conduct destabilising Ukraine or undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine; other actions undermining or threatening peace, security or stability in Europe; or obtaining a benefit from or supporting the Government of Belarus through carrying on a relevant business activity.

2. On 8 December 2023 the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated the UK Sanctions List to reflect changes to those persons designated under the UK Regulations. A link to the UK Sanctions List can be found below.

3. The Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Implementation of External Sanctions) (Jersey) Order 2021 (the "Order"), made under the Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Jersey) Law 2019 ("SAFL"), links to the UK Regulations.

4. Any changes to asset-freeze designations made under the UK Regulations are effective immediately by virtue of the ambulatory provisions in Jersey's sanctions legislation.

5. An asset freeze now applies to the individuals listed in the Annex to this Notice under Part 3 of SAFL.

Notice summary

6. 17 entries have been added to the Consolidated List and are now subject to an asset freeze.

7.  Find full details in the Annex to this notice.

What you must do  

8. You must:  

• immediately check whether you maintain any accounts or hold any funds or economic resources for the persons set out in the Annex to this Notice.
• freeze such accounts, and other funds or economic resources without prior notice and without delay.
• refrain from dealing with the funds or assets or making them available (directly or indirectly) to such persons unless licensed by the Minister for External Relations ("MER").
• report any findings to MER, together with any additional information that would facilitate compliance with SAFL.
• provide any information concerning the frozen assets of designated persons that MER may request. Information reported to MER may be passed on to other regulatory authorities or law enforcement.

9. Failure to comply with sanctions legislation or to seek to circumvent its provisions is a criminal offence.

Further Information

10. Find guidance on unfreezing assets for delisted persons or entities.

11. Find more information on sanctions or sanctions on Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC).

12. Jersey guidance the Belarus sanctions regime is available on sanctions by country and category on JFSC.

13. A copy of the UK Regulations can be obtained from legislation.gov.uk. Other relevant information about this regime can be found on financial sanctions targets by regime on GOV.UK.

14. The UK Sanctions List on GOV.UK

15. The UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation Consolidated List on GOV.UK

Enquiries 

16. Non-media enquiries, sanctions compliance reporting, and licence applications should be emailed to the Financial Sanctions Implementation Unit at sanctions@gov.je.

Annex

17. Annex to Financial Sanctions Notice Belarus 08 December 2023