Due to the involvement in gross violations of human rights, The U.S. imposed sanctions on Aslan Iraskhanov, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the city of Grozny in the Chechen Republic of Russia and  Mohammed al Otaibi, former Consul General of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul, Turkey.

As the official statement claims, The Russian government fails to take adequate steps to prosecute or punish officials involved in these abuses and violations.

‘The Department has designated Aslan Iraskhanov, Head of the Ministry of Interior Affairs for the city of Grozny in the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation, for his involvement in gross violations of human rights.

In his prior position as the head of the A.A. Kadyrov police unit, Iraskhanov was credibly alleged to be responsible for‎ the summary execution of 27 men.  We note with concern the continued abuses and gross violations of human rights in Chechnya, which include widespread patterns of extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detention by government authorities.

The Russian government fails to take adequate steps to prosecute or punish officials involved in these abuses and violations, fostering a climate of impunity,’ the statement of The U.S Department reads.

In July 2017, Novaya Gazeta published a list of 27 residents of Chechnya detained at different times for various reasons. Russian newspaper believed that they were killed on the night of January 26, 2017, in the territory of the deployment of the A. Kadyrov regiment. At that time the local media reported that detained persons were linked to the ISIS.

In the same way,  the Department has designated Mohammed al Otaibi, former Consul General of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul, Turkey, for his involvement in gross violations of human rights. As the official statement reads, the State Department continues to urge the Government of Saudi Arabia to conduct a full, fair, and transparent trial of those responsible for Mr. Khashoggi’s death, and to hold accountable all those involved in his death.