Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/2197 of 13 December 2021 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses
Date: 2021-12-13
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Russia, economic sanctions, human rights, international sanctions, legal person, natural person








LI2021445EN.01001701.xml










13.12.2021   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


LI 445/17








            COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2021/2197
of 13 December 2021
         
amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,


Having regard to Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 of 7 December 2020 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses (1), and in particular Article 5(1) thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:







(1)


On 7 December 2020, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999.












(2)


On 8 December 2020, in a Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union regarding the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, the Union and its Member States reaffirmed their strong commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. The EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime underscores the Union’s determination to enhance its role in addressing serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide. Achieving the effective enjoyment of human rights by everyone is a strategic goal of the Union. Respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights are fundamental values of the Union and its Common Foreign and Security Policy.












(3)


On 2 March 2021, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2021/372 (2), which designated four Russian individuals involved in serious human rights violations in Russia, including arbitrary arrests and detentions, as well as widespread and systematic repression of freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, and freedom of opinion and expression.












(4)


On 22 March 2021, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2021/481 (3), which designated 11 individuals and four entities involved in serious human rights violations in China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Libya, Eritrea, South Sudan and Russia, including torture, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances or systematic use of forced labour.












(5)


The Union remains deeply concerned about serious human rights violations and abuses in various parts of the world, such as torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings, committed by the Wagner Group, a Russia-based unincorporated private military entity, in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, the Central African Republic (CAR), Sudan and Mozambique.












(6)


Bearing in mind the international dimension and the gravity of the Wagner Group’s activities, as well as its destabilising impact in those countries, the Union considers that the Wagner Group’s actions undermine the objectives of the common foreign and security policy as set out in Article 21 TEU, in particular the objective to consolidate and support democracy, the rule of law, human rights and the principles of international law in accordance with point (b) of Article 21(2) TEU.












(7)


In this context, three persons and one entity should be included in the list of natural persons, legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999.












(8)


The Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 should therefore be amended accordingly,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 is amended as set out in the Annex to this Decision.


Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.




Done at Brussels, 13 December 2021.


For the Council


The President

J. BORRELL FONTELLES
            





(1)  
            OJ L 410 I, 7.12.2020, p. 13.

(2)  Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/372 of 2 March 2021 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses (OJ L 71 I, 2.3.2021, p. 6).

(3)  Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/481 of 22 March 2021 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses (OJ L 99 I, 22.3.2021, p. 25).




ANNEX

1.   
The following entries are added to the list of natural persons set out in Section A (‘Natural persons’) in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999:










 


Names
(Transliteration into Latin script)


Names


Identifying information


Reasons for listing


Date of listing




‘16.


Dimitriy (Dimitry, Dmitri, Dmitry) Valerievich UTKIN


Дмитрий Валерьевич Уткин
(Russian spelling)


Position(s): Founder and commander of the Wagner Group
Rank: Lieutenant colonel (reserve)
Callsign: Vagner, Wagner
Wagner Group ID: M-0209
DOB: 1.6.1970 or 11.6.1970
POB: Asbest, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russian SFSR (now Russian Federation)
Nationality: Russian
Address: Pskov, Russian Federation
Gender: male


Dimitriy Utkin, a former Russian military intelligence (GRU) officer, is the founder of the Wagner Group and responsible for coordinating and planning operations for the deployment of Wagner Group mercenaries across various countries.
In his commanding position within the Wagner Group, he is responsible for serious human rights abuses committed by the group, which include torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings.
This includes the torturing to death of a Syrian deserter by four members of the Wagner Group in June 2017 in the governorate of Homs, Syria. According to a former member of the Wagner Group, Dimitriy Utkin personally ordered the torturing to death of the deserter as well as the filming of the act.


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17.


Stanislav Evgenievitch DYCHKO


Станислав Евгеньевич Дычко
(Russian spelling)


Position(s): Mercenary of the Wagner Group
DOB: 1990
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


Stanislav Dychko, a former employee of the Stavropol police, is a mercenary of the Wagner Group.
Alongside three other mercenaries of the Wagner Group, he took part in the torturing to death of a Syrian deserter in June 2017 in the governorate of Homs, Syria.
He is therefore responsible for serious human rights abuses in Syria.


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18.


Valery (Valeriy) Nikolaevich ZAKHAROV


Валерий Николаевич Захаров
(Russian spelling)


Position(s): Security counsellor to the President of the Central African Republic (CAR)
Wagner Group ID: M-5658
DOB: 12.1.1970
POB: Leningrad, Russian SFSR (now Russian Federation)
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


Valery Zakharov, a former member of the Russian state security (FSB), is the security counsellor to the President of the Central African Republic (CAR). He is a key figure in the Wagner Group’s command structure and keeps close links with the Russian authorities.
Given his influential position in CAR and his leading role in the Wagner Group, he is responsible for serious human rights abuses committed by the Wagner Group in CAR, which include extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings.
This includes the murder of three Russian journalists in 2018, the security of whom was under the responsibility of Valery Zakharov.


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2.   
The following entry is added to the list of legal persons, entities and bodies set out in Section B (‘Legal persons, entities and bodies’) in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999:










 


Names
(Transliteration into Latin script)


Names


Identifying information


Reasons for listing


Date of listing




‘5.


Wagner Group a.k.a. Vagner Group


Группа Вагнера
(Russian spelling)


 


The Wagner Group is a Russia-based unincorporated private military entity, which was established in 2014 as a successor organisation of the Slavonic Corps. It is led by Dimitriy Utkin and financed by Yevgeny Prigozhin. Through the setting-up of local entities, and with the support of local governments, the Wagner Group finances and conducts its operations.
The Wagner Group is responsible for serious human rights abuses in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, the Central African Republic (CAR), Sudan and Mozambique, which include torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings.


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