Foreign Secretary Raab’s announcement Monday of a new “sanctions regime that will target people who have committed the gravest human rights violations” has resulted in a backlash on his Twitter page, with users accusing the minister of hypocrisy and urging him to add officials from the Johnson government to the list, citing a variety of grievances.
Some users sarcastically “agreed” with Raab, quipping that “a sanctions regime should certainly be imposed on anyone responsible for 65,000+ deaths, without exception,” in reference to the Johnson government’s controversial handling of the coronavirus crisis.
I agree with the Foreign Secretary. A sanctions regime should certainly be imposed on anyone responsible for 65,000+ deaths, without exception.
— Fr Ian Maher 🏴 🇪🇺 #RejoinEU #BLM (@IanMaher7) July 6, 2020
Others chimed in with similar sentiments, suggesting it would only be a matter of time before the government could be arrested for a range of 'violations of basic human rights' of its own.
The killing of 70,000 Britons is a human rights violation. Start by handing yourselves in.#HerdImmunity
— 🇪🇺Writer in Mask and Pyjamas🔸 (@GirloftheN) July 6, 2020
People in this government should be at the top of the list. Austerity related deaths for starters. Iain Duncan-Smith should be tried for manslaughter.
— #IndiSocialistaSista🌷 (@SCore2018) July 6, 2020
It's going to be really awkward when half the cabinet is sanctioned for the hostile environment.
— Oonagh (@Okeating) July 6, 2020
So, what you're saying is :
— Joao Albuquerque (@jopepialslb) July 6, 2020
Later on you and your @Conservatives colleagues will be arrested.
“Will you target your gov’t for its conduct toward [Julian] Assange and the Windrush descendants?” one user asked, referring to the imprisoned whistleblower and the 2018 political scandal concerning Britons wrongly detained and deported from the UK or otherwise abused by authorities.
Will you target your govt. for its conduct toward Assange & the Windrush descendants?
— Clive Wismayer 🇪🇺🌍😷 (@CliveWismayer) July 6, 2020
Another suggested it might be better to stop selling weapons to Saudi Arabia before sanctioning them.
Might be an idea to stop selling them arms first.https://t.co/i7lzpvdYYA
— Joe (@MrJoeGooch) July 6, 2020
Others took note of the foreign secretary’s “Global Britain” language, lamenting that “Global Britain has turned into Little England” and suggesting that the country has “become the laughing stock of the World.”
Raaaaab you total & utter pratt. Do you think the British people buy this crap? Global Britain has turned into Little England. We have become the laughing stock of the World. Zero credibility = Zero effect. #NationwideActionNow
— Steve Bray #HoldThemToAccount (@snb19692) July 6, 2020
"Global Britain" ? 😂😂
— Max Jansen (@MaximilianJans2) July 6, 2020
Same global Britain which had to pull back the residence offer to 3m HongKong residents?
Same which lost the tanker stand off against Iran?
Same which can't get the murder of Harry Dunn?
Same which is ignored by EU and US?
Parody Ministry.
😂😂😂😂
Yay an increasingly authoritarian tinpot govt telling everyone else how to behave
— D (@d_mos77) July 6, 2020
Some users took the announcement in stride, letting their imaginations run wild and suggesting everyone from US President Donald Trump to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and countries ranging from the US and Israel to China, Pakistan, Qatar, and Iran be added to the sanctions list for one reason or another.
Finally, one user dug up an old campaign video in which Raab appears to say that he doesn’t support the Human Rights Act, or believe in economic and social rights, quipping that they couldn’t “think of anyone better” to roll out London’s new “human rights abuse” sanctions.
Cant think of anyone better to do ithttps://t.co/O131zOjkjx
— D (@d_mos77) July 6, 2020
