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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Friday positioned a well known Russian paramilitary group on an inventory of non secular freedom violators alongside numerous infamous terrorist organizations.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken introduced he had designated the Wagner Group as an “entity of specific concern” for its actions within the Central African Republic. Additionally on the checklist are Afghanistan’s Taliban, Nigeria’s Boko Haram, Somalia’s al-Shabab and two factions of the Islamic State group.
“Our announcement of those designations is consistent with our values and pursuits to guard nationwide safety and to advance human rights across the globe,” Blinken stated. “International locations that successfully safeguard this and different human rights are extra peaceable, steady, affluent and extra dependable companions of the USA than these that don’t.”
The Wagner Group is run by a confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and its mercenaries are accused by Western nations and UN consultants of quite a few human rights abuses all through Africa, together with within the Central African Republic, Libya and Mali.
Friday’s designation doesn’t instantly carry U.S. sanctions however opens up these focused to potential penalties for violations of non secular freedom. The Wagner Group and the opposite “entities of specific concern” are already topic to an array of U.S. sanctions.
Along with his designation of the Wagner Group and the others, Blinken recognized China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan as “nations of specific concern” for spiritual freedom violations.
All of these nations, which Blinken stated have “engaged in or tolerated notably extreme violations of non secular freedom,” have been on the checklist beforehand.
Blinken additionally put Algeria, the Central African Republic, Comoros and Vietnam on a “particular watch checklist” for spiritual freedom violations, which means they may finally be hit by U.S. sanctions until their information within the space enhance.
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