Financial Sanctions in the UK – No. 5 Chambers

‘With the financial sanctions imposed against Russia has been widening and deepening over the past year, more and more businesses and investors have paid attention to the regulatory obligations for compliance.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 8th March 2023

Source: www.no5.com

UK lawyers still able to work for Russian clients despite new services sanctions – The Guardian

Posted May 5th, 2022 in export controls, legal services, news, Russia, sanctions, Ukraine, war crimes by sally

‘The UK has said it will ban the export of services including accountancy, consultancy and PR advice to Russia in the latest attempt to isolate the country’s economy after the invasion of Ukraine – but lawyers will still be able to service Russian clients.’

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The Guardian, 4th May 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ivory ban upheld by Court of Appeal – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The overarching complaint was that the evidence base was insufficient. The appellant’s criticisms of Jay J’s analysis can be summarised as follows:

(i) wrongful use of the precautionary principle and the acceptance of inadequate evidence to support the bans;

(ii) failure to take account of the failings in the Impact Assessment which preceded the Bill and the according of too much deference to Parliament; and

(iii) violation of the principle of respect for property and the wrongful failure to require a right to compensation.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 19th May 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Obscenity judge’s copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover to stay in UK – The Guardian

‘The copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover used by the judge in the landmark 1960 obscenity trial is to remain in the UK, after the University of Bristol stepped forward to augment the money raised by a crowdfunding campaign backed by writers including Neil Gaiman and Stephen Fry.’

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The Guardian, 1st October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tory minister admits UK breached court order banning arms sales to Saudi Arabia again – The Independent

‘The government has again admitted breaching a court order banning arms sales to Saudi Arabia over concerns they could be used in the Yemen war.’

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The Independent, 26th September 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Government apologises for breaching court ruling against arms sales to Saudi Arabia – The Independent

‘The government has apologised for breaching a court ruling against the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia that could be used in the Yemen conflict.’

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The Independent, 16th September 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK ministers challenge court ruling on Saudi Arabia arms sales – The Guardian

Posted July 8th, 2019 in appeals, export controls, news, Saudi Arabia, statistics, Supreme Court, war, weapons by sally

‘Ministers have asked the courts to set aside a landmark ruling that British arms sales to Saudi Arabia are unlawful, a legal manoeuvre that prompted Jeremy Corbyn to accuse the Conservatives of prioritising military exports over civilian lives.’

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The Guardian, 8th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Yossi Nehushtan: The Unreasonable Perception of Rationality and Reasonableness in UK Public Law – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted July 3rd, 2019 in EC law, export controls, international law, news, weapons by sally

‘In the recent case of R (Campaign Against Arms Trade) v Secretary of State for International Trade [2019] (hereinafter CAAT), the Court of Appeal invalidated the UK government’s decision to grant licences for the sale of military equipment to Saudi Arabia for possible use in the conflict in Yemen. The court found that the government had violated Article 2.2 of the EU Common Council Position 2008/944/CGSP, as adopted in the Secretary of State’s 2014 Guidance. Article 2.2 compels Member States to deny a licence for the sale of military equipment to other states if there is a clear risk that this equipment might be used ‘in the commission of serious violations of international humanitarian law’.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 1st July 2019

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Arm Sales to Saudi Arabia: Evaluating the Clear Risk of Violations of IHL – Oxford Human Rights Hub

Posted June 26th, 2019 in appeals, export controls, human rights, international law, news, weapons by sally

‘On Thursday 20 June, the Court of Appeal issued its open judgment in the appeal concerning the lawfulness of the grant by the UK Government of export licences for arms sales to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (“KSA”), for possible use in the conflict in Yemen. In their judgment, Sir Terence Etherton MR, Irwin LJ and Singh LJ allowed the appeal by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (“CAAT”), remitting the decision to issue said licences by the Secretary of State for International Trade for reconsideration in accordance with the correct legal approach.’

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Oxford Human Rights Hub, 26th June 2019

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia unlawful, court of appeal declares – The Guardian

‘British arms sales to Saudi Arabia have been ruled unlawful by the court of appeal in a critical judgment that also accused ministers of ignoring whether airstrikes that killed civilians in Yemen broke humanitarian law.’

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The Guardian, 20th June 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge’s copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover temporarily barred from leaving UK – The Guardian

‘A copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover used by a judge at the book’s landmark 1960 obscenity trial, with all the rude bits carefully and dutifully marked up by his wife, has been temporarily stopped from leaving the UK.’

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The Guardian, 13th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Activists bring case at appeal court over UK arms sales to Saudis – The Guardian

‘Human rights campaigners have begun an attempt to overturn a high court judgment that allows the British government to continue to export arms to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen.
The Campaign Against Arms Trade brought the case against Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, seeking permission to appeal against a decision last July that granting licences for the export of arms from the UK to Saudi Arabia was not unlawful. CAAT has warned that British weapons could be used to kill or injure Yemeni civilians.’

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The Guardian, 12th April 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Daniella Lock: Questions Regarding Judicial Deference in R (Campaign Against the Arms Trade) v Secretary of State for International Trade – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted July 21st, 2017 in EC law, export controls, international trade, news, Saudi Arabia, weapons by tracey

‘Last week, the High Court rejected a claim for judicial review, brought by the NGO “Campaign Against the Arms Trade” against the Secretary of State for International Trade, regarding the exporting of arms to Saudi Arabia. The judges presiding over the case were Lord Justice Burnett and Mr Justice Haddon-Cave. It is argued here that there are several important questions to be asked about the approach to judicial deference taken in this case. They relate to the ‘behind-the-scenes’ role that deference may have played in the judges’ approach to complex factual material in this case, and the extent to which further clarity, as to the treatment of such material in future cases, may be desirable.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 20th July 2017

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

High Court allows UK government to continue exporting arms to Saudi Arabia – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 12th, 2017 in export controls, news, Saudi Arabia, weapons by sally

‘A challenge to the legality of UK’s sale of arms to Saudi Arabia has failed. The claim sprang from the conflict in Yemen and the border areas of Saudi Arabia. It focussed on airstrikes conducted by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia in support of the legitimate government of Yemen against the Shia-led Houthi rebellion. UK arms export policy states that the government must deny licenses for sale of arms to regimes if there is a ‘clear risk’ that the arms ‘might’ be used in ‘a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. This in turn is based on the EU Common Position 2008/944/CFSP on arms export control, which explicitly rules out the authorising of arms licences by Member States in these “clear risk” circumstances.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th July 2017

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia ruled lawful – BBC News

Posted July 10th, 2017 in evidence, export controls, news, Saudi Arabia, war, weapons by sally

‘UK government arms sales to Saudi Arabia are lawful, the High Court has ruled, after seeing secret evidence.’

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BBC News, 10th July 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK court to rule on Saudi arms exports – BBC News

Posted July 10th, 2017 in export controls, news, Saudi Arabia, United Nations, war, weapons by sally

‘The High Court is to rule later on the legality of UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia.’

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BBC News, 10th July 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Export ban for Clive of India’s £6m rare jewelled flask – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 19th, 2017 in artistic works, export controls, news by tracey

‘An extremely rare jewelled flask given to Clive of India after the Battle of Plassey in 1757 could be exported from the UK unless a buyer can match the £6 million price tag. Culture Minister Matt Hancock has put temporary export bars on the flask and on Clive’s huqqa smoking set, which has a price tag of £240,000, to give UK buyers the chance to save the Mughal treasures for the nation.’

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Daily Telegraph, 18th January 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Brexit: Legal battle over UK’s single market membership – BBC News

Posted November 29th, 2016 in appeals, brexit, EC law, export controls, news, referendums, Supreme Court, treaties by sally

‘The government is facing a legal battle over whether the UK stays inside the single market after it has left the EU, the BBC has learned.’

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BBC News, 28th November 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK places export ban on £1.2m Hogarth painting – The Guardian

Posted November 17th, 2016 in artistic works, export controls, news by sally

‘One of William Hogarth’s earliest paintings satirising the lives of the wealthy in 18th-century England is in danger of leaving Britain unless £1.2m can be raised by a UK buyer.’

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The Guardian, 16th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Pressure builds for investigation into London arms trade fair after judge sees evidence of illegal weapons sales – The Independent

‘Anti-arms trade campaigners have put pressure on the Government to act after officials’ business-as-usual response to a court ruling warning that illegal arms could be changing hands at at London arms fair.’

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The Independent, 16th April 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk