Shaming without naming: Briefing on report

Shaming Without Naming: The Limits of U.S. Visa Sanctions Tools on Accountability for Human Rights Abuses and Corruption

As a follow-up to our events and reports from “Magnitsky Month”, to advocate for the expanded and improved multilateral use of Magnitsky-style sanctions, Human Rights First and our partners welcome you to join us this month for a discussion on our latest report.

Visa sanctions have become an increasingly popular and, in some cases, quite effective tool in the U.S. government’s response to human rights abuse, corruption, and attacks on democracy. Unlike with the Global Magnitsky program or other financial sanctions, though, the U.S. government is often restricted by law from publicly naming the individuals on whom it imposes visa sanctions. Yet confidential sanctions do less to promote accountability for abuse and corruption than ones that publicly assign blame, and make it impossible to evaluate the impact or the seriousness of U.S. policy efforts that rely on these tools.

Join our expert panel on Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 11:00 EST for a discussion on our findings.

Read the report. 

Moderator:

• Adam Keith, Senior Director, Accountability at Human Rights First

Panelists:

• Mutasim Ali, Legal Advisor at Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights
• Annie Boyajian, Vice President for Policy and Advocacy at Freedom House
• Tim Rieser, Foreign Policy Advisor to Retired U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy