OFAC applies GLOMAG to Ugandan former police chief

The  US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (‘OFAC’) says that it has ‘sanctioned the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Ugandan Police Force (UPF), Kale Kayihura (Kayihura), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, for having been a leader or official of an entity that has engaged in or whose members have engaged in serious human rights abuse against Ugandan citizens, as well as for his involvement in corruption.’

Kayihura has been designated under the Global Magnitsky Act (GLOMAG).

OFAC said that the action ‘complements the Department of State’s concurrent implementation of a visa ban for Kayihura under section 7031(c) of the Fiscal Year 2019 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act (P .L. 116-6) due to Kayihura’s involvement in gross violations of human rights.’

OFAC added that Kayihura had led ‘individuals from the UPF’s Flying Squad Unit,’ who had engaged in the inhumane treatment of detainees at the Nalufenya Special Investigations Center (NSIC), reportedly including using sticks and rifle butts to abuse detainees, while officers at the Center are accused of having ‘beaten one of the detainees with blunt instruments to the point that he lost consciousness.’  It said that detainees had also reported being offered money in return for confessions.

Sigal Mandelker, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, commented: ‘We are targeting Uganda’s former Police Inspector General Kale Kayihura for using corruption and bribery to strengthen his political position, as units under his command committed serious human rights abuses.

‘The U.S. government is committed to leveraging our human rights and corruption authorities to target, disrupt, and counter those who engage in abuse and corruption around the world.’

Topical issue

We’re delighted that at the WorldECR Forum in Washington DC (15 and 16 October), Brad Brooks-Rubin, Managing Director of the Enough Project, a group that campaigns for the end of atrocities in sub-Saharan Africa, will be speaking with Inna Tsimerman, Chief Privacy & International Trade Counsel at the Marsh & McLennan Group of companies, on ‘Exploring the Sanctions/Human Rights Calculus’ – including the repercussions of GLOMAG.

Full programme at: https://www.worldecr.com/conference-us/