Inside Story

Are sanctions effective punishment for human rights abuses?

UK government targets suspects linked to the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

It’s a crackdown on despots and dictators.

The United Kingdom’s government has announced its first sanctions since leaving the European Union.

They punish the perpetrators of what it calls “the gravest human rights offenders”.

The targets include suspects linked to the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and Russians connected to the killing of tax fraud whistle-blower lawyer Sergei Magnitsky.

The Kremlin is promising retaliation.

But will sanctions change anything?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Bill Browder – Head of the Global Magnitsky Justice campaign

David Haigh – Human rights lawyer and founder of the campaign group Detained International

Anastasia Gafarova – Political writer and deputy director of the Centre for Political Information

Yasin Aktay – Chief adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan