Human rights violators should be scared. More and more democratic countries are holding them individually accountable for their crimes and are issuing individual so-called ‘Magnitsky sanctions’ to target them where it hurts most: their pockets and their freedom to travel.

The UK Government is seizing assets in Britain belonging to human rights violators, freezing their bank accounts, and banning them from entering the country. The policy of individual accountability for the gravest human rights violations can make the UK an even stronger force for good in the world in the years ahead, as argued by UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Dominic Raab.

Now, UK MPs are pushing for and the Government is moving towards applying the same strategy toward corrupt officials. This could be an important deterrent for major corruption and help improve governance worldwide.