Australia faces renewed pressure to enable sanctions on human rights abusers

Global allies can already impose targeted sanctions on perpetrators, under what's known as Magnitsky-style legislation. The man whose campaign sparked the laws says Australia's lack of action in this area is "humiliating", as proponents step up their push for the laws to be introduced here.

A picture taken on December 7, 2012, shows snow clad grave of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky with his portrait on the tomb Source: Getty Images

Global allies issued sanctions last month against Chinese officials involved in the mass internment of ethnic Uighurs using laws styled on the so-called Magnitsky Act.   Human Rights Watch researcher Sophie McNeill says without similar laws, Australia is lagging behind global allies in joining this coordinated action.