Penalties are much less powerful than the tank, and it lacks the simplicity of a red card that draws on a football field. But it is not entirely useless. Behind every punishment is a world of practical and moral choices. To find out the options, journalist Franca Hummels took a look in the engine room.
When a country violates human rights on a large scale that cannot be explained in words, the EU countries have agreed to draw consequences from it. For example with sanctions – like now against Russia, after the invasion of Ukraine. International law has been violated and the security of the rest of Europe is at risk. This is why EU leaders have evolved heavier sanctions on Russia.
Sanctions aim to change the behavior of those in power who violate human rights. Personal sanctions, such as entry bans and foreign asset freezes, can remove the leader. He could no longer use his money to stay in power. And when his friends see their Mediterranean vacations going up in smoke because their yacht is in chains, they might turn on him. The goal is to make the life of the commander in question as difficult as possible from the outside, and to give him a simple way…
