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Title II — Amendments to Syria Human Rights Accountability Act of 2012

S. 52 · 116th Congress · Jan 8, 2019 · Lineage

II Amendments to Syria Human Rights Accountability Act of 2012

Sec. 201 Imposition of sanctions with respect to certain persons who are responsible for or complicit in human rights abuses committed against citizens of Syria or their family members

(a)
In general— Section 702 of the Syria Human Rights Accountability Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8791) is amended to read as follows:

“702. Imposition of sanctions with respect to certain persons who are responsible for or complicit in human rights abuses committed against citizens of Syria or their family members

“(a) In general—The President shall impose the sanctions described in subsection (c) with respect to each person on the list required by subsection (b).

“(b) List of persons who are responsible for or complicit in serious human rights abuses

“(1) In general—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a list of foreign persons that the President determines are knowingly responsible for or complicit in serious human rights abuses committed against citizens of Syria or their family members, regardless of whether such abuses occurred in Syria.

“(2) Inclusion of certain persons—In developing the list required by paragraph (1), the President shall consider for inclusion on the list, among others, the following:

“(A) the President of Syria.

“(B) The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Syria.

“(C) The Council of Ministers of Syria.

“(D) The heads of the armed forces of Syria, including the land forces, air forces, and intelligence services.

“(E) The heads of the Ministry of Interior of Syria, including the Political Security Directorate, the General Intelligence Directorate, and the National Police Force.

“(F) The commanders and deputy commanders of the Fourth Armored Division of the armed forces of Syria.

“(G) The commander of the Republican Guard of Syria.

“(H) The Advisor for Strategic Affairs to the President of Syria.

“(I) The director and deputy director of the Scientific Studies and Research Center of Syria.

“(J) The heads of prisons under the control of the Government of Syria.

“(K) The governors and other heads of the security branches of the 14 provinces of Syria who are appointed by the President of Syria.

“(3) Updates of list—The President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an updated list under paragraph (1) not later than 300 days after the date of the enactment of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 and annually thereafter for a period of 5 years.

“(4) Form—The list required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.

“(c) Sanctions described

“(1) In general—The sanctions to be imposed with respect to a foreign person under subsection (a) are the following:

“(A) In general—The President shall exercise all powers granted by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in all property and interests in property of a person on the list required by subsection (b) if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or are or come within the possession or control of a United States person.

“(B) Aliens ineligible for visas, admission, or parole

“(i) Visas, admission, or parole—An alien who the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) identifies as on the list required by subsection (b) is—

“(I) inadmissible to the United States;

“(II) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and

“(III) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States or to receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).

“(ii) Current visas revoked

“(I) In general—The issuing consular officer, the Secretary of State, or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) shall, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), revoke any visa or other entry documentation issued to an alien who the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) identifies as on the list required by subsection (b), regardless of when the visa or other documentation is issued.

“(II) Effect of revocation—A revocation under subclause (I)—

“(aa) shall take effect immediately; and

“(bb) shall automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the alien’s possession.

“(2) Penalties—A person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of paragraph (1)(A) or any regulation, license, or order issued to carry out paragraph (1)(A) shall be subject to the penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) of that section.

“(3) Exception to comply with united nations headquarters agreement—Sanctions under paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply with respect to an alien if admitting the alien into the United States is necessary to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United States, or other applicable international agreements.

“(d) Rule of construction—Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the President pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), relevant Executive orders, regulations, or other provisions of law.”

(b)
Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that the President should impose sanctions under section 702 of the Syria Human Rights Accountability Act of 2012, as amended by subsection (a), for—
(1)
the deliberate targeting of civilian schools, hospitals, or markets; and
(2)
the deliberate diversion, hindering, or blocking of access for humanitarian purposes, including access across borders and conflict lines, with the intent to inflict suffering on civilians.

Sec. 202 Imposition of sanctions with respect to the transfer of goods or technologies to Syria that are likely to be used to commit human rights abuses

Section 703(b)(2)(C) of the Syria Human Rights Accountability Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8792(b)(2)(C)) is amended—
(1)
in clause (i), by striking “or” at the end;
(2)
in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:

“(iii) any article—

“(I) designated by the President for purposes of the United States Munitions List under section 38(a)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778(a)(1)); and

“(II) that the President determines is significant for purposes of the imposition of sanctions under subsection (a); or

“(iv) other goods or technologies that the President determines are used by the Government of Syria to commit human rights abuses against the people of Syria.”