-Rep. Gray speaks out on U.S. sanction, visa restrictions on CDcians
By Jerromie S. Walters
Outgoing Montserrado County District #8 Representative, Acarous Moses Gray, says the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), will not minimize or quit its relationship with partisans of the Party that were recently sanctioned and placed on visa restrictions by the United States.
In a Facebook post Tuesday, December 12, 2023, via his official Facebook page, Representative Gray wrote: “We will not shy away from our sanctioned partisans like Joseph Boakai and UP never shy away from Prince Johnson a sanctioned notorious killer and our man Stanton.”
Monday, December 11, 2023, the U.S. State Department designated 30 individuals around the world pursuant to 7031(c) visa restrictions, including Samuel Tweah, the Liberian Minister of Finance and Development Planning, and Liberian Senators Albert Chie and Emmanuel Nuquay and their close relatives.
Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the United States publicly designate Tweah, Chie, and Nuquay, for their involvement in significant corruption by abusing their public positions through soliciting, accepting, and offering bribes to manipulate legislative processes and public funding, including legislative reporting and mining sector activity.
As part of this action, their immediate family members are also designated, including their spouses Delecia Berry Tweah, Abigail Chie, and Ruthtoria Brown Nuquay, and Tweah and Nuquay’s minor children. These visa restrictions are one of the many tools the U.S. government leverages to further promote accountability for corrupt actors around the world.
On the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day and the opening of the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption, the United States is taking the following actions to promote accountability for corrupt actors around the world. The Department of State is designating over 30 individuals pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2023 (Div. K, P.L. 117-328), as carried forward by the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 (Div. A, P.L. 118-15).
The Department of the Treasury is designating two individuals and 44 entities pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Section 7031(c) provides that in cases where there is credible information that officials of foreign governments have been involved in significant corruption or a gross violation of human rights, those individuals and their immediate family members are generally ineligible for entry into the United States and must be either publicly or privately designated.
ACTIONS TAKEN TO PROMOTE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CORRUPT ACTORS
Afghanistan Mir Rahman Rahmani, former Afghan Speaker of Parliament, and Ajmal Rahmani, former Member of the Afghan Parliament
• Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is publicly designating Mir Rahman Rahmani and Ajmal Rahmani for their involvement in significant corruption. This transnational corruption scheme spanned the globe as the Rahmani’s stole millions of dollars from U.S. government-funded fuel contracts. As part of this action, their immediate family members (Jamila Jushan Haji Mohamad Hossin, Tamana Mir Rahman, Yalda Mir Rahman, Lina Mir Rahman, and Tahmina Tajali) are also designated. Concurrently, Treasury is also designating Mir Rahmani and Ajmal Rahmani and 44 associated entities pursuant to E.O. 13818.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)
Diana Kajmakovic, former state prosecutor in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is publicly designating Kajmakovic for her involvement in significant corruption. In support of narcotics traffickers and other criminals, Kajmakovic helped hide evidence, prevent prosecution, and otherwise assist criminal activity in exchange for personal gain. She also attempted to block an investigation into her apparent criminal affiliates, including Osman Mehmedagic. Previously Kajmakovic was designated by the Department of Treasury pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14033 for being responsible for or complicit in corruption or the undermining of democratic processes or institutions in the Western Balkans.
Osman “Osmica” Mehmedagic, former Director General for BiH’s Intelligence Security Agency
• Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is publicly designating Mehmedagic for his involvement in significant corruption. Mehmedagic collaborated with criminal networks and abused his public position to enrich himself. As part of this action, his wife Amela Mehmedagic Sehovic is also designated. Previously, the Department of Treasury designated Mehmedagic pursuant to E.O. 14033 for being complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption related to the Western Balkans, including corruption by, on behalf of, or otherwise related to a government in the Western Balkans, or a current or former government official at any level of government in the Western Balkans, such as the misappropriation of public assets, expropriation of private assets for personal gain or political purposes, or bribery.
Dominican Republic
Jean Alain Rodriguez Sanchez, former Attorney General
• Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is publicly designating Rodriguez for his involvement in significant corruption by misappropriating public funds intended for state-financed infrastructure projects and government institutions. As part of this action, his immediate family members are also designated, including his spouse Maria Isabel Perez Sallent and two minor children.
Haiti
Jean-Max Bellerive, former Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and External Cooperation
• Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is publicly designating Bellerive for abusing his public position by participating in corrupt activity that undermined the integrity of Haiti’s government. As part of this action, his immediate family members are also designated, including his spouse Myriam Estevez De Bellerive and his adult daughters Diana Jennifer Bellerive and Jessica Bellerive.
Nenel Cassy, former Senator
• Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is publicly designating Cassy for abusing his public position by participating in corrupt activity that undermined the integrity of Haiti’s government. As part of this action, his immediate family members are also designated, including his spouse Katherine Cassy Chery and one minor child.