EU foreign ministers on Monday adopted a new sanctions regime to punish serious human rights violations in Russia, multiple diplomats confirmed to dpa.
The new system of sanctions was established following the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and targets individuals and organizations responsible for the repression of the opposition.
The EU sanctions regime is specifically set up for human rights abuses in Russia in honour of Navalny. Around 20 targets have been selected for inclusion in a first listing, diplomats said.
These punitive measures are separate to the wide-ranging economic sanctions imposed on Russia for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Sanctions still include punitive measures like entry bans to the European Union and a freeze on assets held in the bloc.