(a) All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that come within the United States, or that are or come within the possession or control of any United States person of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: Any person who the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, determines:
(1) Is responsible for the detention, abuse, or death of Sergei Magnitsky, participated in efforts to conceal the legal liability for the detention, abuse, or death of Sergei Magnitsky, financially benefitted from the detention, abuse, or death of Sergei Magnitsky, or was involved in the criminal conspiracy uncovered by Sergei Magnitsky;
(2) Is responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights committed against individuals seeking:
(i) To expose illegal activity carried out by officials of the Government of the Russian Federation; or
(ii) To obtain, exercise, defend, or promote internationally recognized human rights and freedoms, such as the freedoms of religion, expression, association, and assembly, and the rights to a fair trial and democratic elections, in Russia; or
(3) Acted as an agent of or on behalf of a person in a matter relating to an activity described in paragraph (a)(1) or (2) of this section.
The names of persons who meet the criteria in paragraph (a) of this section and are designated pursuant to the Magnitsky Act, whose property and interests in property are therefore blocked pursuant to this paragraph (a), are published in the Federal Register and incorporated into OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) with the identifier “MAGNIT.” The SDN List is accessible through the following page on OFAC's website: www.treasury.gov/sdn. Additional information pertaining to the SDN List can be found in appendix A to this chapter. See § 584.410 concerning entities that may not be listed on the SDN List but whose property and interests in property are nevertheless blocked pursuant to this paragraph (a).
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706), in Section 203 (50 U.S.C. 1702), authorizes the blocking of the property and interests in property of a person during the pendency of an investigation. The names of persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pending investigation pursuant to this paragraph (a) also are published in the Federal Register and incorporated into the SDN List with the identifier “[BPI-MAGNIT].”
Sections 501.806 and 501.807 of this chapter describe the procedures to be followed by persons seeking, respectively, the unblocking of funds that they believe were blocked due to mistaken identity, and administrative reconsideration of their status as persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this paragraph (a).
The Magnitsky Act requires the President to submit to certain congressional committees a list of each person the President has determined meet the Act's criteria, which correspond to the criteria set forth in this section. The Magnitsky Act provides that the President shall exercise all powers granted by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701-1706 (except that the requirements of Section 202 of such act requiring the declaration of a national emergency (50 U.S.C. 1701) shall not apply), to the extent necessary to freeze and prohibit all transactions in all property and interests in property of a person on this list if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or are or come within the possession or control of a United States person. The Magnitsky Act also provides for an exception from the above prohibitions for persons included on a classified annex if the President determines that such an exception is vital for the national security interests of the United States, and for a waiver of the above prohibitions if the Secretary of the Treasury determines that such a waiver is in the national interests of the United States.
(b) The prohibitions in paragraph (a) of this section include prohibitions on the following transactions:
(1) The making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section, except for donations by United States persons of articles, such as food, clothing, and medicine, intended to be used to relieve human suffering; and
(2) The receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section.
(c) Unless authorized by this part or by a specific license expressly referring to this section, any dealing in any securities (or evidence thereof) held within the possession or control of a U.S. person and either registered or inscribed in the name of, or known to be held for the benefit of, or issued by, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section is prohibited. This prohibition includes the transfer (including the transfer on the books of any issuer or agent thereof), disposition, transportation, importation, exportation, or withdrawal of, or the endorsement or guaranty of signatures on, any securities on or after the effective date. This prohibition applies irrespective of the fact that at any time (whether prior to, on, or subsequent to the effective date) the registered or inscribed owner of any such securities may have or might appear to have assigned, transferred, or otherwise disposed of the securities.
(d) The prohibitions in paragraph (a) of this section apply except to the extent transactions are authorized by regulations, orders, directives, rulings, instructions, licenses, or otherwise, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the effective date.