Outline Chambers Briefings | International Legal News

06 July 2026 Each week, Outline Chambers provides a concise overview of key developments across international law, arbitration and global governance. This week's International Legal News highlights significant developments in international sanctions, human rights, organised crime, constitutional law, and corporate criminal liability. Key stories include new EU sanctions linked to the poisoning and death of Alexei Navalny, concerns over China's new ethnic unity law, U.S. sanctions targeting a Brazilian money laundering network, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling reaffirming birthright citizenship, and major regulatory reforms reshaping corporate criminal liability in both the UK and the EU.

International Legal News | 06 July 2026

 3 July 2026

EU: European Union sanctions six in connection with Navalny’s poisoning and death

In a press release by the Council of the EU – it was announced that restrictive measures have been imposed against six Russians involved in the development of chemical weapons. In particular was the development of epibatidine, a toxin which it is reported, was found in samples taken from Alexei Navalny’s body following his death in a Russian penal colony.

Alexei Navalny a Russian opposition leader, and founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (“FBK”) gained infamy for exposing and reporting on corruption. He was poisoned in 2020 and immediately detained in 2021 when returning to Russia.

EU sanctions against the use and proliferation of chemical weapons now apply to 31 individuals, and 6 entities.

For more on this story, see here.

2 July 2026

International Human Rights: Japanese Parliamentarians condemn China’s ethnic unity and progress law

Four Japanese bipartisan parliamentary groups have issued a strong statement of concern regarding the new ethnic unity law passed by China. They have called on the Japanese Government “to implement, strengthen and expand monitoring of the human rights situation within China.”

For more on this story, see here.

1 July 2026

Organised Crime: US Sanctions Brazilians accused of money laundering

The U.S. Treasury Department has issued sanctions against two Brazilians, three Brazilian companies, and one Portuguese company who it is alleged have been involved in a money laundering network tied to Primeiro Comando da Capital, one of Brazil’s largest criminal organisations.

For more on this story, see here.

30 June 2026

Citizenship: US Supreme Court makes ruling on birthright citizenship

In a 6-3 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts has held that children born in the US “to parents unlawfully or temporarily present” are “citizens at birth” under the 14^th amendment of the United States constitution.

President Trump had issued an executive order on the grounds that children of undocumented immigrants are not “subject to the jurisdiction thereof”. The US has granted citizenship to everyone born in the country since 1868. With the present ruling, this is set to remain the case.

For more on this story, see here.

30 June 2026

White Collar Crime: UK and EU introduce new regulations on corporate criminal liability and corruption

Chara de Lacey of Transparency International UK has written a helpful guide for practitioners interested in recent developments affecting corporate governance and liability both in the UK and in the EU.

From 29 June 2026, the United Kingdom will hold companies criminally liable for the criminal offence of a “senior manager” acting within their actual or apparent authority. She considered where we have come from, and how the law has developed to its present stage.

In contrast, the EU has issued a new Directive that creates two grounds for corporate liability for corruption.

The differences between these two new regulatory regimes, are considered and serve as a helpful resource for practitioners specialising in corporate crime.

To read this guide, see here.