BRUSSELS – The European Union announced Monday it has targeted eight Russian officials with fresh sanctions over alleged severe human rights abuses and attacks on democratic institutions within Russia, according to a statement from the Council.
Those facing penalties include judicial officials who handed down sentences to well-known Russian opposition figures in what European leaders characterize as cases driven by political motives, along with administrators of correctional facilities where political detainees endured cruel and dehumanizing treatment, the announcement detailed.
Among those hit with sanctions are Aleksei Vasilyevich Valizer, who runs a correctional facility, and Anton Vladimirovisch Rychar, who oversees a detention center for those awaiting trial.
The penalties prevent the eight individuals from entering or passing through European Union territory, lock down any assets they hold, and prohibit European individuals and businesses from providing them with financial resources, the statement explained.
