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The Foreign Secretary has admitted there has been some unease about how the Magnitsky Act will affect relations with regimes that have reportedly been involved in human rights abuses. However Mr Raab told the Financial Times: “It is morally the right thing to do.” Individuals targeted by the new law will face visa bans and asset freezes for alleged human rights abuses.

The UK has begun to implement the sanctions under new post-Brexit legislation.

Sanctions have yet to be introduced on individuals accused of human rights abuses by the European Union.

Head of Global Magnitsky Justice campaign Bill Browder tweeted: “The UK Magnitsky Act will be a particularly powerful tool because every tinpot dictator wants to keep a mansion in Belgravia and send their kids to the best British boarding schools.

“The implementation of the UK Magnitsky Act also raises serious questions about why the EU is dragging their feet on the EU Magnitsky Act.

“They announced their intention in December 2019 but as of now, still nothing.”

In 2019 the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell told reporters in Brussels: “We have agreed to launch the preparatory work for a global sanctions regime to address serious human rights violations, which will be the European Union equivalent of the so-called Magnitsky Act of the United States.”

Human rights abusers from Russian, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea will be first to receive the sanctions.

Foreign Secretary Mr Raab said: “With this legislation, the UK will have new powers to stop those involved in serious human rights abuses and violations from entering the UK, channelling money through our banks and profiting from our economy.

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“This is a clear example of how the UK will act as a force for good in the world, standing up for human rights.

“We will not let those who seek to inflict pain and destroy the lives of innocent victims benefit from what the UK has to offer.”

CEO Hermitage Capital Mr Browder tweeted: “UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is to announce the implementation of UK Magnitsky Act today.

“The first group of sanctions will be applied to Sergei Magnitsky’s killers.

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“This is a huge milestone in our 10-year campaign for justice.”

The Magnitsky Act is based on Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky who was arrested in 2008 after claiming Russian officials were involved in large-scale tax fraud.

Mr Magnitsky then went on to die in a Russian prison in 2009 after saying he had been mistreated in prison.

Last year Dominic Raab announced at the Conservative annual conference in Manchester the UK needs to, “bring into force a UK Magnitsky law, to place visa bans and asset freezes on those individuals deemed responsible for serious human rights abuses, including torture.”

A Foreign Office spokesperson said the UK would use the Magnitsky Act to sanction those “who commit unlawful killings perpetrated against journalists and media workers, or activity motivated on the grounds of religion or belief”.

The implementation of the new law comes as tensions escalate between the UK and China after Beijing imposed the new security law for Hong Kong.

The UK Government has said the new security law has violated the Sino-British joint declaration.

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