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Sanctions as a Tool of US Foreign Policy

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Comment: The Use of “Public Designation” under Section 7031 (c)

Republican and Democratic administrations have taken a similar approach to 7031 (c)… reflecting their foreign policy priorities or attitudes towards different countries… 7031 (c) serves as a versatile and effective tool of foreign policy. However, safeguards are needed to prevent any mishandling or politicization of a designation.

From: David L. Phillips and David J. Felsen


New York and Tirana — The U.S. Secretary of State can combat corruption and gross human rights violations by invoking the Section 7031 (c) provision, which bars individuals found to be highly corrupt or as egregious violators of human rights from entry to the United States. The recent designation of Albania’s former President and Prime Minister Sali Berisha raises questions about the process of sanctioning an individual under Section 7031 (c):  Should the person being investigated have the right to confront the accusations  through a transparent process? Once sanctioned, should there be the right to an appeal?

The U.S. Congress authorized a “public designation” visa restriction under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act.  This provision was included in foreign operations appropriations legislation beginning in FY2008.

Under Section 7031 (c), the Secretary of State is authorized to deny entry to the U.S. by foreign officials about whom credible information exists indicating that they have been involved in “significant corruption”, including corruption related to the extraction of natural resources, or if these individuals are involved in the “gross violation of human rights”.   The entry restriction automatically applies to immediate family members of the foreign individuals in question even if they have not been directly involved in activities warranting sanctions.  

The designation is typically a “public designation”, though the Secretary of State may choose to invoke it “privately”.  It is the result of a lengthy interagency process, with conclusions made by the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). INL is the lead agency organizing input from within the Department of State as well as from law enforcement, security, intelligence and other relevant agencies from the federal government and other levels of government. However, the designation should not be necessarily interpreted as involving any narcotics-related activity.

What is also noteworthy about Section 7031 (c) is that while the Secretary of State’s designation may be made publicly or privately, all records concerning banning of the designated individual are not confidential. That is, the information can be accessed publicly through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This is a clear variance from general policy and practice regarding the decision to issue or deny a visa, as provided in Section 222 (f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which requires that any records regarding the issuing or refusing of U.S. visas be kept strictly confidential.  

Section 7031 (c) is a powerful yet underutilized tool of US foreign policy. The threat that foreign officials may be publicly designated and shamed for engaging in significant corruption or human rights abuses and the threat to family members of being barred from entry to the U.S. is a strong disincentive or deterrent to foreign officials.  

U.S. foreign and treaty obligations may create some exemptions for individuals who may have been publicly designated.  An exemption from Section 7031 (c) can be made if the individual’s subsequent entry to the country furthers U.S. law enforcement objectives, if there are compelling national security interests, if circumstances have changed that had caused the designation in the first place, or if the individual’s entry fulfills U.S. obligations under the United Nations Headquarters Agreement.

Republican and Democratic administrations have taken a similar approach to 7031 (c). Yet, different administrations may interpret significant corruption and human rights abuses in different ways, reflecting their foreign policy priorities or attitudes towards different countries. The Trump administration designated the former President of the Gambia for significant corruption in 2018. Nicaragua’s Supreme Electoral Council President was designated for significant corruption, and Serbian Goran Radosavljevic was publicly designated for violation of human rights in the murder of three Albanian-American brothers in Kosovo during the war.

During the Biden administration, Berisha was sanctioned in mid-May 2021 under Section 7031 (c) for significant corruption.  7031 (c) was also used to designate the former Prosecutor General of Slovakia for significant corruption; Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi was designated in March 2021. A Paraguayan Congressman was designated for significant corruption in April 2021. Congressman Boris Espana Carceres of Guatemala and two former Nambian government ministers were designated for significant corruption in June 2021. 

Yet the Trump Administration also extended the use of 7031 (c) to further political goals in Iran and Cuba. In November 2020, towards the end of the Trump Administration, Secretary of State Pompeo designated two Iranian military officials as human rights violators. In the case of Cuba, the final days of the Trump Administration saw the designation of Defense Minister Leopoldo Cintra Frias for violations of human rights. This was followed by Cuba’s labelling as a “State Sponsor of Terrorism”. Cuba was placed on the SST list though it had previously been removed from the list by the Obama administration in 2015. 

In addition to the 7031 (c) designation, Executive Order 13818 of December 20th, 2017, which implemented the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (GMA), is another vehicle to target corruption and human rights violators.  GMA uses very similar language to 7031 (c).  However, E.O. 13818 also allows for the freezing of assets and blocking of transactions for designated individuals. During the Biden administration, several Bulgarian nationals charged with corruption in early June 2021 were designated under 7031 (c), while E.O. 13818 and other sanctions brought by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) were applied at the same time.  The Department of State’s statement of June 2nd indicated that E.O. 13818, which implements and builds upon the Magnitsky Act, targeted three oligarchs and 64 of their owned entities, while at the same time 7031 (c) designated five Bulgarians as ineligible for entry owing to “significant corruption”.

In sum, 7031 (c) serves as a versatile and effective tool of foreign policy. However, safeguards are needed to prevent any mishandling or politicization of a designation. Individuals should have the right to address questions about their conduct at some point in the process. Individuals should be able to argue why they may warrant an exemption. Once designated, a mechanism should exist to permit an appeal by the individual.  Lastly, until a final determination is made the process requires discretion so that reputations are not ruined unnecessarily.  

This article was originally published by Exit News on July 7, 2020

Mr. Phillips is Director of the Program on Peacebuilding and Human Rights at Columbia University in New York. He served as a Senior Adviser and Foreign Affairs Expert to the US State Department during the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations. Mr. Felsen holds a doctorate in politics from Oxford University and is Vice-Rector for International Relations at Epoka University in Albania.

Kosovo Town Declares Emergency over ‘Contaminated Water’ Scare

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July 13, 202113:58– – Authorities in the western Kosovo town of Decan/Decani declared a state of emergency after more than 880 people were suspected to have fallen ill after drinking contaminated water.

BY Drenushe Ramadani and Xhorxhina Bami/ BIRN/

“A state of emergency has been declared on the entire territory of the municipality of Decan,” said the text of an official decision made by the mayor of Decan/Decani, Bashkim Ramosaj, on Tuesday.

Ramosaj said he made the decision because more than 880 people are suspected to have fallen ill as a result of drinking contaminated water in the municipality over the past two days.

Local residents in the villages of Prejlep, Rastavica, Irzniq, Gllogjan, Shaptej, Gramaqel, Baballoq, Ratisha and Jasic i Ri claimed they have suffered from diarrhea, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.

The spokesperson for the Basic Prosecution in Peja/Pec, Shkodran Nikci, told BIRN on Tuesday that two people have died and their bodies have been sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for autopsy to see if they were poisoned.

But Kosovo’s Health Minister Arben Vitia then told media that the two deaths “are not related to the [suspected water contamination] situation”.

Suspicions have been raised that the reported illnesses were caused by drinking water supplied by a company called Hidrodrini.

Based on these suspicions, the prosecution said that the Hidrodrini company’s water should not be used for drinking purposes in ten villages in Decan/Decani.

The first results of tests on the water have come back normal, however. The National Institute of Public Health, NIPH, is conducting further tests, the results of which will be known within 48 hours at the latest.

“So far, I assess that according to the first results, chemically there is no problem with the drinking water, the water is usable but we are waiting for more analysis,” the director of NIPH, Naser Ramadani, told Kosovo media on Monday.

The Hidrodrini company said in a statement on Tuesday that it stopped the water supply the moment that reports that people had fallen ill appeared.

But it said that “after a meeting of the Municipal Emergency Headquarters of Decan, it was decided that from 1pm, the supply from the water supply system for the area in question will be restored” .

However, it cautioned that despite this decision, the water should “not be used for drinking, but only for sanitary and hygienic needs” for the moment.

Mayor Ramosaj told media on Monday the estimated number of people who could have been affected was 884, although there is no officially-published data.

“We will not stop until we find out why it happened, this poisoning ….in the municipality of Decan, where so far there are 884 patients who have the same symptoms,” Ramosaj said.

He also said that this was “the second time in a month that the same scenario is being reported”.

One man, Zenel Kadriaj from the village of Rastavica, told BIRN that the water was coloured and had a large amount of chlorine in it.

But another man, Hysni Alickaj from the village of Irzniq, said that his five daughters fell ill but not as a result of drinking water because he does not have a water supply system in the house.

Ramadani, the director of NIPH, also told media there are people who have displayed symptoms but who have not consumed water supplied by Hidrodrini at all.

ERDOGANI DHE “PALLATI MBRETËROR VEROR” ME TREQIND DHOMA:ZËMËRIM NË TURQI

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Nga MONICCA RICCI SARGENTINI-PERKTHEU:EUGJEN MERLIKA/

Qarkullojnë për të parën herë fotografitë e selisë së “sulltanit”, ndërsa gruaja e tij kërkon racionimin e ushqimeve./

Plazhi privat është i bardhë, deti një ëndërr, vila që ngrihet pak më tej, për të thënë pak është luksoze: 300 dhoma mbi një truall prej 85 mijë metër katrore, në gjirin Okluk Cove në rrethin Marmaris, në bregun jugor të Turqisë, njëra ndër më të zgjedhurat e Vendit.

Mëndjemadhësia e Rexhep Tajip Erdoganit, të paperëndueshmit president turk, nuk ka të sosur. Mbas “pallatit të bardhë” në kryeqytetin Ankara, një kompleks me më shumë se njëmijë dhoma, arriti “pallati veror”, i ndërtuar në vëndin që mirëpriste selinë e pushimeve të ish presidentit Turgut Ozal. Një tjetër vënd banimi po ndërtohet në qytetin Ahlat, në rrethin Bitlis.

Gjithshka me harxhet e taksapaguesve, natyrisht, që në një periudhë të një krize ekonomike të fuqishme, tregojnë se nuk u pëlqen aspak madhështia presidenciale. Nëse mbahet parasysh se Zonja e Parë, Emine Erdogan, ka ftuar popullsinë të pakësojë racionet e ushqimit në piata për të shmangur  shpërdorimet në një çast të vështirë për Vendin, mund të kuptohet lehtë se përpara një pallati të kushtuar 640 milion lira turke (rreth 62 milion euro), para të marra nga buxheti presidencial, të hapen polemika.

Rezidenca verore është përuruar më 2019, por fotografitë kanë qarkulluar vetëm tani, kur arkitekti turko-belg, Sefik Birkiye ideatori i mbivilës i ka publikuar në siton e tij web. Pamjet janë marrë pastaj nga gazeta e opozitës Sözcü dhe janë bërë pronësi e përgjithëshme. Veprimi i profesionistit sigurisht nuk i ka pëlqyer presidentit mbasi ka parë zëmërimin që është ngritur. Sidoqoftë Birkiye është shumë i vlerësuar nga Erdogani që e kishte zgjedhur për të projektuar Pallatin presidencial të Ankarasë.

Ngrenë krye edhe mjedisorët sepse zona i është nënështruar një shpyllëzimi masiv për të ndërtuar edhe pesë godina të përmasave të ndryshme që duhet të strehojnë personelin, veç një piste për helikopterë, kurse një hapësirë prej  10.966 metër katrorë është mbushur me rërë e çakull të veçantë duke u kthyer në një plazh vetanak.

Jeta nuk është e lehtë edhe për banorët e zonës të detyruar t’i nënështrohen rregullave të rrepta të sigurisë. Gjiri i Okluk Cove shpesh i ndalohet anijeve të peshkimit kur presidenti shkon në  vilën e tij verore. Mbikqyrja shtohet kur vijnë për vizita kryetarë Shtetesh a qeverish të huaja, siç ka ndodhur për kryeministrin shqiptar Edi Rama dhe presidentin azer Ilhan Aliyev.

“Corriere della Sera”, 7 korrik 2021    Përktheu Eugjen Merlika 

HUMBJA E KUJTESËS NË SHKËMBIM TË MIRËQËNIES

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Nga GUIDO SANTEVECCHI-PËRKTHEU:EUGJEN MERLIKA/

            Të kujtuarit në Sheshin Tienanmen të “kokave të thyera e të gjakosura”, edhe sot i sjell në mëndje botës tmerrin e 1989-ës. Xi Jinping sidoqoftë ka përdorur përfytyresën e fuqisë  asgjësuese për të paralajmëruar se të huajtë nuk do t’arrijnë kurrë të ndalojnë ngjitjen e Kinës së tij. Ai që do të guxonte t’a bënte “do të thyente kokën e do të derdhëte gjak  kundër murit të madh të 1,4 miliard kinezëve”, tha ai. Në përkthimin nga gjuha kineze, zënia në gojë e gjakut është hequr. Por mbledhja oqeanike, e thirrur për të përkujtuar njëqindvjetorin e Partisë komuniste, ka mundur t’i dëgjojë fjalët e belegut. Turma është përgjigjur me një duartrokitje të bindur e prekëse (pa kujtesë historike).

            Marrëveshja shoqërore e pranuar nga kinezët nënkupton që teknokratët qeveritarë të vendosin në mënyrë të pakundërshtueshme e, si shkëmbim, të sigurojnë rritje ekonomike të vazhdueshme. Kështu dje Xi ka mëtuar plotësimin e premtimit të qindvjetorit: Partia-Shtet ka nxjerrë nga varfëria absolute 770 milionë qytetarë, ka ndërtuar një “shoqëri mjaft të mirëqënë”, të mbështetur në qëndrueshmërinë politike e në numëra të pambaruar të ekonomisë së dytë të botës. Simbas sekretarit të përgjithshëm të Pkk gjithshka tjetër nuk vlen. Në vështrimin e tij edhe bota duhet të mendojë vetëm për tregun.

            Është ky mesazhi që Xi ka dërguar dje: komunizmi prej dyzet vitesh është kthyer në kapitalizëm të planifikuar nga teknokratët qeveritarë; të gjithë kinezët kanë mundësi të arrijnë mirëqënien; mjaft që të mos interesohen për zgjedhjet themelore, që të mos dëgjojnë kundërshtimet ndërkombëtare për shtypjen në Hong Kong, dhunimin e të drejtave njerëzore në Hsinijang, kërcënimet ushtarake Taivanit dhe praktikat tregëtare agresive; mjafton që të mbështillen nga humbja e kujtesës politike e të gëzojnë rezultatet. Fjalia mizore e kokave të thyera është një këshillë për bashkësinë ndërkombëtare: tregëti dhe aspak ideale.

            Së fundi në thirrjet e Pekinit është kthyer në modë shprehja “nihilizëm historik”, për të vulosur çdo kritikë  ose dyshim mbi drejtimin e ecjes. Duhet të jetë ende ndonjë mosbesues nëse administrate e siberhapësirës kineze (çensura) u mburr se kishte fshirë nga webi dy milion komentesh nihiliste para qindvjetorit. Xi Jinping është i pushtuar nga ankthi i fundit të Bashkimit Sovjetik, ka detyruar drejtuesit e Partisë t’a studjojnë dhe mendon se, në përimtim të fundit, ai sistem u shemb sepse në Moskë askush nuk pati guxim të luftonte në çastin e krizës. Ai luan para kohe: nga 2012 drejton një fushatë kundër korrupsionit sepse vjedhjet sistematike po e  delegjitimonin Partinë; fjalimet mbi sovranitetin kombëtar, mbi përbetimet e fuqive të huaja në Hong Kong, mbi leksionet e demokracisë për të poshtëruar Kinën bëjnë pjesë në strategjinë e tij të brëndëshme. Xi u thotë kinezëve se Perëndimi do të donte të ndante Partinë nga populli e nga ëndrra e mirëqënies  dhe e nxit të krijojë një mur të madh rreth pushtetit të tij.

“Corriere della Sera”, 2 korrik 2021    Përktheu Eugjen Merlika

Russia Dismisses Albanian Spying Reports as ‘NATO, Propaganda’

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Russia has shrugged off reports that two spies entered Albania in May, and were being investigated for spying on the US-led military exercise Defender Europe.

By Fjori Sinoruka-BIRN/

Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Friday accused Albanian media of “fuelling hype around the criminal cases opened by local prosecutors against two Russians allegedly suspected of espionage”, calling the whole affair “NATO propaganda”.

In late June media in Albania reported that two Russian citizens were under investigation by the Prosecution in Tirana for alleged espionage during the US-led military exercise Defender Europe 21 held in Albania in April and May.

Local media said that one of the Russians had entered Albania on May 12, after which a drone was found on him, and he had declared his destination as Durres, which was where the Defender Europe 21 exercise was taking place. According to Euronews Albania, he was one of two Russian nationals who entered Albania and were being investigated by the Tirana Prosecution.

The Prosecution told BIRN last week that it was still investigating “the existence of the fact” on this issue. After BIRN tried to contact the Albanian ministry over the issue, it could not obtain a response. BIRN contacted the Prosecution of Tirana also about the case, which said it was “still under investigation”. State Police did not want to comment when asked by BIRN.

However, the Russian Embassy in Albania said it had sent an inquiry to the Albanian Foreign Ministry. “The incident appears to be an exercise in #NATO propaganda,” it concluded.

Diplomatic relations between Tirana and Moskow have been chilly lately. In January Albania expelled a Russian diplomat, Aleksei Krivosheev, for not respecting COVID-19 rules.

In 2018, Albania declared two Russian diplomats “non grata”, claiming their activity was not compliant with their diplomatic status.  Russia then expelled two Albanian diplomats from the Albanian embassy in Moscow.