Seven People Added to Sanctions List

Summary#

These final regulations add seven people to the list of people targeted under the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law). The change took effect on December 7, 2023 and was published in the Canada Gazette on December 20, 2023. In practice, the named individuals are now subject to Canadian sanctions such as asset restrictions and travel/entry prohibitions.

What it does#

• Adds the following seven people to the schedule of the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Regulations:
  • Saeed MORTAZAVI (born 1967) — linked to the death of Iranian‑Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi (Iran).
  • Mohammad BAKHSHI — linked to Zahra Kazemi’s detention (Iran).
  • Magomed Khozhakhmedovich DAUDOV (born February 26, 1980) — linked to abuses in Chechnya (Russia).
  • Apti Aronovich ALAUDINOV (born October 5, 1973) — linked to abuses in Chechnya (Russia).
  • Ayub Vakhaevich KATAEV — linked to abuses in Chechnya (Russia).
  • Abuzayed Dzhandarovich VISMURADOV (born October 24, 1975) — linked to abuses in Chechnya (Russia).
  • Min Aung HLAING — linked to serious rights violations after the 2021 coup (Myanmar).
• Because they are listed, the regulations generally
  • freeze any of their property in Canada and bar certain dealings with it;
  • make them inadmissible for entry to Canada;
  • require Canadian financial institutions and others to block transactions involving them.
• The government says the additions were made because, in its view, these people are responsible for or complicit in gross human‑rights violations in Russia, Iran and Myanmar.
• The regulations were registered and brought into force on December 7, 2023 and were applied before Gazette publication.

Who's affected#

• The seven named individuals and any assets or property they hold in Canada.
• Canadian banks and financial institutions, which must update screening systems and block prohibited transactions.
• Businesses that might need licences or permits to carry out dealings with listed persons; compliance may add minor costs.
• The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency, which are involved in enforcing these sanctions.
• Members of the public are indirectly affected if they do business with or travel to meet these people; most Canadians and small businesses are unlikely to be directly affected.

Why it matters#

• These are targeted sanctions meant to punish and isolate individuals the Canadian government says are responsible for serious human‑rights abuses.
• They can freeze assets in Canada and stop the listed people from entering the country.
• Financial institutions must comply; failure to follow the rules can carry penalties, including fines up to $25,000 on summary conviction or imprisonment up to 1 year, and on indictment up to 5 years.
• The listing signals Canada’s stance on human rights and is intended to discourage impunity, while aiming to limit economic harm to the wider population and to Canadian businesses.