On July 13, 2021, United States Department of Justice officials unsealed an indictment in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charging four Iranian nationals with conspiracies concerning kidnapping, sanctions violations, bank and wire fraud, and money laundering.  The indictment charges a co-conspirator, who is an Iranian national and California resident, with structuring violations.[1]

Recent events in Haiti^[1] and the Central African Republic^[2] have underscored the continued threats that the use of mercenaries poses to international peacekeeping.  Mercenaries have been involved in armed conflicts for over 3,000 years, as kings and despots have utilized them in order to acquire and maintain power and affluence.[3]   International law has strived to regulate such offences and encourage States to prevent the illicit activities, especially violence and assassinations, from occurring within their borders. As defined by Article 47 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, mercenaries are individuals who are recruited locally or abroad in order to participate directly in an armed conflict.  They are motivated through substantial material compensation and are neither nationals of a party to the conflict nor a resident to the territory involved in the conflict.[4]

On June 25 and July 2, 2021, respectively, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)[1] and the U.K. Serious Fraud Office (SFO)[2] announced settlements with Amec Foster Wheeler Energy Limited (Amec Foster Wheeler or AFW) over global corruption.  AFW also settled with the Brazilian government, and the three governments collaborated in the settlement.[3]

Federal authorities seized at U.S. airports unauthorized versions of the COVID-19 treatment remdesivir destined for distribution in Mexico.[1]  Counterfeit versions are arriving in the U.S. by plane from Bangladesh and India and then smuggled by individuals to Mexico, which will then be sold to the highest bidder.[2]  The seizure of counterfeit treatments is not new as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have captured more than 100 shipments.[3]

On June 16, 2021, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights launched a Commission of Inquiry to investigate international human rights and humanitarian law violations in Tigray, Ethiopia. The Commission of Inquiry is in accordance with the Commission’s mandate to promote and protect human rights in Africa under Article 45 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.[1] According to a press statement, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights will begin its work in Banjul, Republic of Gambia, and “will conduct investigations on the ground and in neighboring countries when the conditions are met.”[2] “The Commission of Inquiry has a mandate to, inter alia, investigate allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and to gather all relevant information to determine whether the allegations constitute serious and massive violations of human rights.”[3] The Commission of Inquiry on Tigray officially commenced on June 17, 2021.[4]

The FATF Plenary met virtually on June 20-25, 2021, and acted on several important strategic initiatives during the German Presidency.

            On June 29, 2021, the Bolivian government signed a Memo of Understanding (MoU) with the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI). The collaborative effort is aimed at increasing transparency, compliance, and knowledge in the fishing industry. [1]

On June 23, 2021, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal agreed with the report of a court-appointed director that a transaction, whereby the former husband of the daughter of the former Angolan President, in 2006 whereby Angola’s state oil company, Sonangol, bought shares in Galp, the Portuguese energy company, was “null and void” because it was an act of corruption.[1]

On June 23, 2021, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal agreed with the report of a court-appointed director that a transaction, whereby the former husband of the daughter of the former Angolan President, in 2006 whereby Angola’s state oil company, Sonangol, bought shares in Galp, the Portuguese energy company, was “null and void” because it was an act of corruption.[1]

On June 22, 2021, the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union hosted the EU-U.S. Ministerial Meeting on Justice and Home Affairs in Lisbon and made progress on counter-terrorism, violent extremism, and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data exchange.  They also discussed developing bilateral and multilateral instruments to combat cybercrime, using artificial intelligence,  and developing well-managed and humane migration policies.