REPRESENTATIVE SALAZAR JOINS COLLEAGUES IN REINTRODUCING THE BIPARTISAN HARM ACT
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) joined several of her colleagues across party lines in reintroducing the Holding Accountable Russian Mercenaries (HARM) Act. The bipartisan bill would require the Secretary of State to designate the Russia-based Wagner Group as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). The bill was first introduced in the 117th Congress, along with a companion measure in the Senate led by U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Ben Cardin (D-MD).
“The Wagner Group are ruthless mercenaries and terrorists that kill indiscriminately and do Putin’s bidding,” said Rep. Salazar. “Their reach goes well beyond Europe and Asia, helping dictators like Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela hold on to power at all costs.”
“Where the Wagner Group operates, atrocities follow. The HARM Act will identify Putin’s private mercenary group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and let the world know that its activities are both malign and illegal. It’s time to shine some light on this notorious group and give it the detestable reputation it deserves,” said Rep. Cohen.
The Wagner Group’s predatory and terroristic activities since 2014 in Ukraine, Mali, Sudan, and the Central African Republic have been characterized as deliberate violations of human rights and atrocities in the service of the strategic goals of the Putin regime. A paramilitary organization that employs thousands of mercenaries, the Wagner Group has been accused of committing heinous acts of violence and human rights violations against civilians including killings, kidnappings, acts of torture, human trafficking, and the murder and threatening of journalists. The Wagner Group has also received weapons from North Korea, a designated State Sponsor of Terrorism.
The HARM Act would require the Secretary of State to designate the Wagner Group as a FTO under section 219(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act within 90 days of enactment. The proposal also includes provisions that would apply the FTO designation to any affiliated or successor entity to the Wagner Group.
BACKGROUND:
A Foreign Terrorist Organization designation would have significantly greater impact than previous designations of the Wagner Group and its leadership, in particular bringing into play criminal penalties for material support to the Wagner Group by entities across the world and allowing the United States to claim universal jurisdiction. The legislation follows action by the European Parliament calling for the Wagner Group to be included in the EU’s terrorist list.
Representatives Cohen, Wilson, Veasey, Hudson and Fitzpatrick are all House of Representatives members of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, a U.S. government commission that promotes human rights, military security, and economic cooperation in 57 countries in Europe, Eurasia, and North America. They are joined as co-leads to this bill by Representatives Lieu and Salazar.
###