On September 12, 2017, the Project on Middle East Democracy joined a list of other human rights NGOs in writing a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin presenting a list of human rights violators and corrupt actors that should be targeted under the Global Magnitsky Act. This act “authorizes the President to impose financial sanctions and visa restrictions on foreign persons in response to certain human rights violations and acts of significant corruption.”

As the letter states: “The cases we have elected to highlight come from every region of the world, and involve horrific stories of torture, enforced disappearance, murder, sexual assault, extortion, and bribery. The implicated perpetrators vary in power and influence, and their victims range from full-time human rights activists to members of religious communities to students demonstrating against injustice. In cases dealing with acts of significant corruption, victims often include entire societies.”

A PDF copy of the letter, as well as details of the cases involved, are available here.