Wau, Western Bahr El Ghazal State, South Sudan;
Unity State, South Sudan
Official reason
Jok Riak has been designated for engaging in actions that expand or extend the conflict in South Sudan, or obstructed peace talks or processes, and for being a leader of forces who also engaged in actions that expand or extend the conflict in South Sudan, or obstructed peace talks or processes.
Jok Riak is the commander of Sector One of the South Sudanese military, known as the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). Sector One operates primarily within Unity State, a province in South Sudan, and consists of SPLA Divisions Three, Four, and Five. SPLA Division Three is led by Santino Deng Wol, whom OFAC designated in September 2014. Since late April 2015, SPLA forces under Sector One and Jok Riak’s command have been conducting a full-scale offensive against SPLA-IO forces in Unity, Jonglei, and Upper Nile States in violation of multiple ceasefire agreements’ requirements to protect civilians and prohibitions on military operations.
South Sudan Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 558; Executive Order 13664
Regime
OFAC country specific
Target State
South Sudan
Measures
Blocking Property, Suspending Entry
Official Information
On July 1, 2014, OFAC issued the South Sudan Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 558 (79 FR 37190, July 1, 2014) (the “Regulations”), to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 13664 of April 3, 2014, “Blocking Property of Certain Persons With Respect to South Sudan” (79 FR 19283, April 7, 2014), pursuant to authorities delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury in E.O. 13664. The Regulations were initially issued in abbreviated form for the purpose of providing immediate guidance to the public. OFAC is revising the Regulations to further implement E.O. 13664. OFAC is amending and reissuing the Regulations as a more comprehensive set of regulations that includes additional interpretive guidance and definitions, general licenses, and other regulatory provisions that will provide further guidance to the public. Due to the number of regulatory sections being updated or added, OFAC is reissuing the Regulations in their entirety.
On April 3, 2014, the President, invoking the authority of, inter alia, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), issued E.O. 13664. In E.O. 13664, the President found that the situation in and in relation to South Sudan, which has been marked by activities that threaten the peace, security, or stability of South Sudan and the surrounding region, including widespread violence and atrocities, human rights abuses, recruitment and use of child soldiers, attacks on peacekeepers, and obstruction of humanitarian operations, poses an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States and declared a national emergency to deal with that threat.
