US Targets Individuals in Kosovo, El Salvador, Serbia in New Global Magnitsky Sanctions
16:40 GMT 08.12.2021 (Updated: 13:27 GMT 06.08.2022)
© AP Photo / Patrick Semansky
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States has targeted several persons and entities in Kosovo, Serbia and El Salvador in a new round of Global Magnitsky Sanctions, the Treasury announced on Wednesday.
"Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is targeting 16 individuals and 24 entities across several countries in Europe and the Western Hemisphere," the release said. "Today’s actions are taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, and targets perpetrators of corruption and serious human rights abuse," the statement said.
The sanctioned individuals include Andrija Zheljko Bojic of Kosovo, Zeljko Bojic of Kosovo, Osiris Luna Meza of El Salvador, Carlos Amilcar Marroquin Chica of El Salvador, Alma Yanira Meza Olivares of El Salvador, Milan Mihajlovic of Kosovo, Sinisa Nedeljkovic of Kosovo, and Radovan Radic of Kosovo among others.
Among those sanctioned is also Zvonko Veselinovic, described by the Treasury as the leader of the Zvonko Veselinovic Organized Crime Group (OCG), which is engaged in a massive bribery scheme with Kosovar and Serbian security officials to facilitate the group’s illicit trafficking of goods, money, drugs, and weapons between Kosovo and Serbia, according to the release.
In addition, Washington introduced sanctions against entities based in Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria linked to the blacklisted individuals.
The latest round of sanctions also targets three individuals from El Salvador.
"An investigation into officials of the Government of El Salvador and incarcerated leaders of gangs, such as Treasury-designated Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13), has revealed covert negotiations between government officials and the criminal organization," the treasury said. "Osiris Luna Meza (Luna) and Carlos Amilcar Marroquin Chica (Marroquin) led, facilitated, and organized a number of secret meetings involving incarcerated gang leaders, in which known gang members were allowed to enter prison facilities and meet with senior gang leadership. These meetings were part of the Government of El Salvador’s efforts to negotiate a secret truce with gang leadership."
In addition, Washington introduced sanctions against entities based in Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria linked to the blacklisted individuals.
The latest round of sanctions also targets three individuals from El Salvador.
"An investigation into officials of the Government of El Salvador and incarcerated leaders of gangs, such as Treasury-designated Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13), has revealed covert negotiations between government officials and the criminal organization," the treasury said. "Osiris Luna Meza (Luna) and Carlos Amilcar Marroquin Chica (Marroquin) led, facilitated, and organized a number of secret meetings involving incarcerated gang leaders, in which known gang members were allowed to enter prison facilities and meet with senior gang leadership. These meetings were part of the Government of El Salvador’s efforts to negotiate a secret truce with gang leadership."
