Bi-weekly News and Opinion Roundup - March 2, 2023

C&SN Submits Input for UN Study: Counterterrorism Impacts on Civil Society

C&SN partnered with over 30 organizations from around the world to submit input to the global study led by United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Fionnuala D. Ní Aoláin. Read the summary find the full submission at C&SN. (Mar. 2)

Webinar Report - “A Layered Disaster: Supporting Long Term Recovery in Turkey and Syria”

Leaders in humanitarian aid discussed critical gaps in earthquake response, key takeaways for donors, and long-term recovery goals. Read the summary and how it relates to C&SN issues. (Mar. 2)

Human Rights Coalition Deplatformed After Lawfare Attack

The Alliance for Global Justice (AfGJ) – a U.S.-based activist network that provides fiscal sponsorship and fundraising services to organizations globally - has been the victim of a lawfare attack by a pro-Israel organization resulting in the suspension of its credit card processing service. Read the story at C&SN. (Feb. 28)

C&SN Opportunity Spotlight

Consider registering as a C&SN Member (no financial commitment required) to receive our weekly Opportunity Spotlight Newsletter, where we share all upcoming opportunities for civil society input, webinars, events, and working groups on key issue areas such as sanctions, material support, financial access, lawfare and more.

U.S. Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) GL 23 Compliance Communique

OFAC addresses specific questions they received related to earthquake relief efforts in Syria and compliance with U.S. sanctions under General License 23. Read the Compliance Communique at OFAC. (Feb. 21)

Starting Bell Rings for UN Counterterrorism Negotiations with Big Questions Unanswered

The UN report on counterterrorism strategy is crucial for ensuring the UN does not contribute to a growing trend of counterterrorism abuses that compound civilian harm. Beth Alexion, Nicholas Miller, and Jordan Street write at Just Security. (Feb. 28)

In Twitter, Google Suits, Supreme Court Seems Unlikely to Expand Liability

The lawsuit, in which the plaintiffs accuse social media platforms of aiding and abetting terrorists, could see an expansion of interpretation of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Robert Barnes and Cristiano Lima report for The Washington Post. (Feb. 22)

Graham: US Should Designate Russia a State Sponsor of Terrorism

The Biden administration has resisted designating Russia, arguing that such designation would hamper peacebuilding efforts and humanitarian aid delivery. Olafimihan Oshin reports at The Hill. (Feb. 19)

U.S. Lawmakers Want Terrorist Designation For Russia's Wagner Group

Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designations often hinder non-government organization (NGO) led peacebuilding and humanitarian aid programs where FTOs are active due to fears of breaching counterterrorism laws. The Wagner Group is active in Ukraine as well as throughout numerous countries on the African continent. Read the full story at Reuters. (Feb. 15)

Form Over Function. Reviewing the UN Global Counterterrorism Strategy

The Soufan Center’s issue brief provides an overview of the key findings from the recently published UN counterterrorism report. (Feb. 2023) 

Bank Secrecy Act Reform: Restoring the Fourth Amendment

The Bank Secrecy Act forces banks to act as law enforcement agents preventing financial crime. The law places major burdens on law‐​abiding Americans, as well as leads banks to de-risk vital NGOs, but it has not appreciably reduced criminal activity. Listen to the discussion at The Cato Institute. (Feb. 27)

Financial Crime Watchdog FATF Suspends Russia's Membership Over Ukraine War 

Though suspended, Russia is still a member of the FATF. Ukraine pushes for Russia to be blacklisted. Tassilo Hummel and Ingrid Melander report at Reuters. (Feb. 24)

Outcomes FATF Plenary, 22-24 February 2023

Amongst the outcomes, the Plenary suspended Russian membership to the FATF, and agreed to undertake new projects on money laundering and terrorist financing as related to crowdfunding. Read more at the FATF. (Feb. 24)

Why GoFundMe Suspended Fundraising for Syria's Earthquake Victim

Fear of breaching a complex web of anti-money laundering and counterterrorism laws delays or outright denies many financial services - time which cannot be afforded in disaster relief. Ashleigh Subramanian-Montgomery, associate director of policy and advocacy for C&SN, is quoted: “People have died in the interim.” Issie Lapowsky reports for Fast Company. (Feb. 16)

*C&SN notes that U.S. sanctions regimes on Syria have not been permanently eased.

Thematic Summary Assessment of Gaps in Implementing Key Countering the Financing of Terrorism Provisions of Security Council Resolutions

The UN report highlights, among many challenges, insufficient assessments of national terrorism-financing risks and a lack of data to inform risk assessments. Read the full report at the UN. (December 2022)

Anna Rivina: The Russian Lawyer Fighting for Women’s Rights, Despite ‘Foreign Agent’ Label

The Russian government added Rivina to a list of “foreign agents” to stifle her human rights work, a strategy that shut down other human rights groups such as the nobel prize recipient Memorial International. Lucy Martirosyan reports for openDemocracy. (Feb. 27)

Türkiye/Syria: A Human Rights Response to the 6 February Earthquakes 

Crises are often used as a pretext by authoritarian regimes to crack down on civil liberties. Amnesty International calls for human rights to be protected in the wake of the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria. (Feb. 23)

The Global Aid System Failed Syria Just as It Did Afghanistan. How Long Can This Go On?

Oppressive regimes withholding aid from people in need as a political move highlights the need for the international community to reassess how aid is delivered. Shadi Khan Saif at The Guardian. (Feb. 20)

No Aid in Idlib as Assad Army Targets Rebel-Held Northwest Syria After Earthquakes

Conflict between the rebel-held Idlib province and Assad’s government has blocked aid from being delivered to people in need. Read the full story at The Media Line. (Feb. 19)

Don't Trust Assad on Syria Earthquake Aid

Annie Sparrow and Hazem Rihawi write that Assad's announcement of border openings to Syria’s north-west is reversible, and it won’t stop the regime’s ongoing obstruction of aid to rebel-held areas. Read more at Foreign Policy. (Feb. 15)

U.S.-Based Human Rights Group Loses Fundraising Platform over Association with Palestinian NGO

Michael Arria at Mondoweiss provides an overview of the lawfare attack launched by the pro-Israel group, the Zachor Legal Institute, on the Alliance for Global Justice. (Feb. 23)

Netherlands Calls for EU Sanctions Enforcement Headquarters

A bloc of EU member states proposed a centralized EU sanctions watchdog to tackle mass circumvention of EU sanctions against Russia. Alexandra Brzozowski reports for EURACTIV. (Feb. 20)

EU and UK Implement UN Sanctions Humanitarian Exemption

European countries follow the U.S. in integrating the UN Security Council resolution providing humanitarian safeguards from sanctions regimes. Sunny Mann and Dimitris Mourkas write at Lexology. (Feb. 20)

Are U.S. Sanctions Against Syria Stalling Aid After Earthquake?

The Assad regime is using the devastating earthquake to renew calls to lift sanctions, but critics argue that sanctions protect Syrians from the possible resurgence of war. Murtaza Hussain writes at The Intercept. (Feb. 19)