EU-Brussels
Brussels — A new European Union sanctions decision has triggered controversy after retired Swiss Army Colonel and former NATO adviser Jacques Baud was added to the EU’s restrictive measures list, according to an official decision published in the EU’s Official Journal.
Under the measure, Baud faces an asset freeze within the European Union and a travel ban across all EU member states. Switzerland, where Baud holds citizenship, is not part of the EU but typically aligns with many EU sanctions regimes. Baud is currently residing in an EU country, a fact that has intensified debate over the scope and implications of the decision.
The EU has justified the sanctions on the grounds that Baud allegedly engaged in activities described as the dissemination of Russian propaganda related to the war in Ukraine. The decision forms part of a broader update to the EU’s restrictive measures addressing what it characterizes as destabilizing activities by Russia, including information operations and hybrid threats.
Critics argue that the case raises fundamental questions about freedom of expression and due process within the EU sanctions framework. Unlike criminal proceedings, EU sanctions are adopted as part of the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and are decided by the Council, acting on proposals prepared by the EU’s foreign policy apparatus. Individuals targeted by sanctions are not convicted through a court judgment prior to their inclusion, although they may challenge the measures before the EU courts after the fact.
According to people familiar with the matter, the sanctions proposal was prepared within the EU’s executive structures responsible for foreign and security policy. Opponents of the move argue that this effectively allows the executive branch to impose severe personal and financial restrictions without a prior judicial finding of guilt.
Baud, known for his books and commentary on military strategy, intelligence, and the Ukraine conflict, has rejected the allegations. In a statement shared with associates, he said he had never relied on Russian official sources for his work and had declined invitations from Russian media outlets.
“I have been sanctioned for ‘Russian propaganda,’” Baud said. “The fact that I never use Russian material for my books, but exclusively Ukrainian and Western information, and that I refused invitations from Russian media, still makes me a ‘Russian propagandist.’”
Baud added that his work focuses on analyzing how conflicts are portrayed and understood rather than assigning moral judgments.
“My work is not about who is good and who is bad, but about how poorly media reflect realities on the ground,” he said. “The way a crisis is understood defines the way it is solved.”
Baud is currently assessing the legal implications of the sanctions and potential avenues for challenge. Under EU law, sanctioned individuals may request a review of their designation and may bring an action for annulment before the General Court of the European Union.
The case is likely to fuel further debate across Europe about the balance between countering disinformation, safeguarding security interests, and protecting civil liberties, particularly as the EU continues to expand the use of sanctions targeting individuals accused of information-related activities.