TITLE: United States Treasury Department Issues International Criminal Court General License and Updates Sanctions Designations
BODY:
On August 18, 2026, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued International Criminal Court-related General License 12, "Authorizing the Wind Down of Transactions Involving Certain Persons Blocked on August 18, 2026." This general license permits the wind-down of transactions involving individuals and entities newly designated under International Criminal Court-related sanctions authority.
Simultaneously, OFAC updated the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), adding three individuals and entities to its sanctions designations. Under International Criminal Court-related authority, OFAC designated Tomoko Akane, a Japanese national residing in the Netherlands (born June 28, 1956), and Abdoulaye Seye, a Senegalese national also residing in the Netherlands (born May 9, 1967). Under Venezuela-related sanctions authority, OFAC designated Bluwaves Properties Limited, a British Virgin Islands entity established on March 5, 2021.
The designations reflect OFAC's ongoing enforcement of sanctions programmes targeting individuals and entities involved in activities subject to U.S. sanctions regimes. The issuance of General License 12 allows persons currently engaged in transactions with the newly designated individuals and entities a specified period to wind down their activities in compliance with U.S. sanctions law, rather than facing immediate prohibition of all transactions.
These actions represent routine updates to OFAC's sanctions enforcement operations. Persons and entities subject to U.S. jurisdiction must ensure compliance with the updated SDN List and applicable general licenses. The general license and updated designations are effective immediately upon publication.