Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List

Azza Air Transport, former Cargo airline, in the SDN List

The Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, also known as the SDN List, is a United States government sanctions/embargo measure targeting U.S.-designated terrorists, officials and beneficiaries of certain authoritarian regimes, and international criminals (e.g. drug traffickers). The list is managed by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).[1] When individuals are added to the list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN), their U.S. assets are blocked. Moreover, their names are added to automated screening systems used by banks in the United States and many foreign countries, making it difficult for them to open or hold accounts, transfer money, or transact properties internationally.[2] Any individual or entity that provides support related to terrorism, drug trafficking or unauthorized military use to any person or entity appearing on the SDN list risks being penalized under the USA PATRIOT Act.[3]

The SDN list contains tens of thousands[4] of individuals and entities that have been identified as posing threats to U.S. national security and foreign policy.[5] All individuals and entities within the U.S. are prohibited from doing business with them or are subject to sanctions for violating the law. Financial sanctions include a ban on investment in the stock of the blacklisted individuals and entities in which the blacklisted individuals have a controlling interest, and a ban on new debt (including all securities such as bonds, credits, bills of exchange, etc.) with a maturity of more than 90 days. After the 2014 annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, the U.S. blacklisted a number of Russian and Crimean companies for sanctions.[6] Almost every country is represented on the list.[7]

  1. ^ rob (2017-11-23). "Keine PCs für Vereine – wegen US-Blacklist". 20 Minuten (in German). Archived from the original on 2021-09-04. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  2. ^ Knights, Michael (6 December 2019). "Punishing Iran's Triggermen in Iraq: Opening Moves in a Long Campaign". The Washington Institute.
  3. ^ "What is a Specially Designated National (SDN)?". sanctions.io. November 8, 2022.
  4. ^ Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List，US Treasury, 2020/8/7, 1421 pages
  5. ^ "Basel: Keine PCs für Vereine – wegen US-Blacklist". 20 Minuten. Nov 23, 2017. Retrieved Sep 25, 2020.
  6. ^ "U.S. sanctions companies, people over Russia actions in Ukraine". Reuters. 20 December 2016.
  7. ^ Areddy, James T. (5 April 2021). "China Creates its Own Digital Currency, a First for Major Economy".Wall Street Journal website. Retrieved 5 April 2021.