The Russian government says it has added 39 representatives of Australian officials, security services and defence firms to a blacklist of people barred from entering the country.

Russia’s foreign ministry released the list in what it said was a response to Australia’s adoption of a sanctions law similar to the US Magnitsky Act that provides for targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against individuals.

The original act, adopted by the United States in 2012, is named after Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer who was arrested and later died in prison in Russia in 2009 after accusing Russian officials of a massive tax fraud.

The Magnitsky-style reforms were adopted in Australia in December 2021 and allow the government to target individuals who perpetrate human rights abuses and conduct egregious acts of international concern.

The Russian list issued on Friday morning includes Northern Territory Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker, NSW Minister for Corrections Geoff Lee and members of the Department of Home Affairs.

The Russian government last month barred 121 Australian citizens including business people, army officials, academics and journalists from the country in retaliatory sanctions.

—with Reuters

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