Why we have imposed sanctions
- The Russia Sanctions Act 2022, passed unanimously by Parliament on 9 March 2022, is Aotearoa New Zealand’s response to Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
- In the absence of an effective response from the United Nations Security Council (as a result of Russia, one of the five permanent United Nations Security Council members, using its veto) and in light of Russia’s continued actions in Ukraine, the Act provides Aotearoa New Zealand with the legislative tools to join the international community and respond.
- Aotearoa New Zealand, through our sanctions measures, will contribute to international efforts to limit Russia’s ability to finance and equip the war in Ukraine, and to influence Russia away from war. Sanctions under the Act targets individuals and companies economically or strategically important to Russia.
Who sanctions apply to
Sanctions apply to individuals, entities, assets and services designated under the Act. These designations can be found in the Schedule of the Russia Sanctions Regulations 2022. The sanctions that apply to each individual or entity are listed in the Schedule. MFAT maintains a sanctions register.
All New Zealanders, both inside and outside of New Zealand, are required to comply with the sanctions set out in the Regulations. Individuals in New Zealand (and those ordinarily resident in New Zealand) and entities operating in New Zealand are also required to comply.
The Act imposes civil and criminal liability.
Types of sanctions imposed
Travel bans:
- Designated individuals are prohibited from traveling to, or transiting New Zealand. The sanction may also affect an individual’s visa status if they already have a visa.
Transport bans:
- All Russian and Belarussian military and government owned or controlled ships and aircraft are banned from New Zealand airspace and waters.
- Aircraft and ships owned, operated, or chartered by specified designated individuals cannot enter New Zealand.
Prohibition on dealing with assets (asset freeze):
- Asset freezes stop New Zealanders and New Zealand-based businesses, individuals and entities dealing with the assets of designated individuals and entities. The Act defines what ‘dealings’ means.
- The effect of asset freezes is that designated individuals and entities and their associates are prevented from accessing any assets they hold in New Zealand. This includes bank accounts and personal property.
- Asset freezes also prohibit New Zealanders and New Zealand-based businesses, individuals and entities from entering into financial transactions with, by, or on behalf of specified individuals and entities.
- Note: asset freezes are not the same as asset seizures. There is no ability to seize assets in the Russia Sanctions Act.
- Where a duty-holder in possession or control of assets, or dealing with services, suspects on reasonable grounds that these assets or services may be subject to the sanctions measures, they have a duty to report it to the Police.
Services prohibition:
- This is a measure that prohibits, amongst other things, services being extended to, offered to, or recevied from sanctioned individuals or entities.
Exceptions:
There are a limited number of exceptions to the prohibitions detailed above and these are set out at Regulation 12 of the Russia Sanctions Regulations 2022.
While not part of the Russia Sanctions Act, export bans are also among New Zealand’s response measures:
