Folks,
While studying the topic of diversity and inclusiveness in the IETF, the
question arouse about what are the implications of the IETF LLC being
registered in the USA.
In particular, I'm concerned about the possible implications for
participants from USA-sanctioned countries or organizations.
I asked a few people here and there, and was referred to this document:
https://www.ietf.org/media/documents/IETF_LLC_OFAC_Compliance_Policy_2020-10-06.pdf
That document contains text such as:
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Meeting Registrations
The current automated meeting registration system can continue, but at
regular intervals, and no later than 30 days before the meeting begins,
the list of registered participants and financial institutions
associated with payment of registration fees must be checked (both for
individual names and country of domicile and residence).
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and
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Action
The IETF Executive Director will work with IETF LLC counsel to determine
what action to take in each individual case. This may include not
pursuing the contractual relationship, revoking the meeting
registration, cancelling any existing contract or other action.
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I'm certainly not a lawyer, and hence I'd like an authoritative and
clear explanation about what are the possible outcomes of this "OFAC
Compliance Policy".
For example, could it result in participants from Cuba, Iran, Myanmar,
North Korea, Sudan or Syria being rejected their registration, and hence
being prevented to participate in IETF meetings?
If that were the case, I'm sure that we'd all agree that that would be
inappropriate, discriminatory, oppressive, and ultimately unacceptable.
I hope that that's not even a possibility.
Could anyone please clarify this?
P.S.: Besides sanctions on countries such as the above, there also seems
to be a whole list of people and organizations that are
sanctioned/banned:
https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/specially-designated-nationals-and-blocked-persons-list-sdn-human-readable-lists
Thanks,
--
Fernando Gont
e-mail: fernando@xxxxxxxxxxx || fgont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
PGP Fingerprint: 7809 84F5 322E 45C7 F1C9 3945 96EE A9EF D076 FFF1
