U.S. Senator Jim Risch, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered an opening statement at a committee hearing focused on the Global Magnitsky laws. The hearing featured testimony from Adam Keith of Human Rights First and William Browder of Hermitage Capital Management.
In his remarks, Risch expressed gratitude to the chairman for organizing the hearing, noting its significance as part of the chairman’s legacy. He emphasized the impact of the Magnitsky Act in holding individuals accountable for human rights abuses and corruption globally. “I am proud of the work we did together to permanently authorize the Global Magnitsky authority,” he stated.
Risch highlighted that since 2016, this global tool has been applied nearly 250 times against individuals and over 300 times on entities. He called for improvements in implementation, particularly through international coordination: “Our sanctions work best when we do coordinate with other countries.”
Addressing recent events in Georgia, Risch stressed the importance of defending basic rights amidst government crackdowns on pro-EU demonstrations. He thanked Senator Shaheen for facilitating a phone call with Georgia’s president, which he found enlightening.
Risch voiced concerns about Congress’s role in sanctions designations being challenged and criticized a lack of response from the current administration regarding recommendations for sanctions. He cited Sudan as an example where requested Global Magnitsky sanctions were not enacted despite urgent calls from Congress.
He also expressed concern over what he described as a haphazard approach to implementing sanctions, mentioning delayed actions against certain foreign leaders.
Concluding his statement, Risch looked forward to insights from witnesses on enhancing this critical tool while preserving its intended purpose.
Witness testimony is accessible via foreign.senate.gov.
