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Penalties over alleged abuses tied to illegal fishing

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First U.S. sanctions to target Nasdaq-listed firm

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Russia election body targeted over referendums

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Other orders mention Tibet, Iran protests

(Adds Chinese Embassy comment, background)

By Michael Martina and Daphne Psaledakis

WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on dozens of people and entities over alleged rights abuses, including Russia's Central Election Commission, Iranian officials and Chinese nationals.

The U.S. Treasury Department said it imposed sanctions on Li Zhenyu and Zhuo Xinrong, both Chinese nationals, and 10 entities linked to the two, including Nasdaq-listed Pingtan Marine Enterprise (PME), over what Washington says are human rights abuses tied to China-based illegal fishing.

The designation of PME marks the first time the U.S. has imposed sanctions on an entity listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

PME, its founder Zhuo, and another of the sanctioned companies, Dalian Ocean Fishing Co, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Washington also targeted 157 China-flagged fishing vessels linked to the sanctioned entities, it said.

President Joe Biden in June signed a national security memorandum to fight illegal fishing, part of pledged efforts to help countries combat alleged violations by fishing fleets, including those of China.

Countries around the world chafe at China's fishing practices, arguing its vessels often violate their 200-nautical-mile (370-km) exclusive economic zones (EEZ) and cause environmental damage and economic losses.

Rights advocates say illegal fishing can be tied to other illicit activities, such as human trafficking and forced labor, due to weak enforcement across international jurisdictions.

"These designations demonstrate how seriously we take the problem of illicit fishing and our commitment to holding the perpetrators of serious human rights abuses to account," the Treasury's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Brian Nelson, said in a statement.

China says it is a responsible fishing country that has been cooperating internationally to clamp down on illegal fishing, and that it fishes in relevant EEZs according to bilateral agreements.

The country's embassy in Washington condemned the United States for "pointing fingers at other countries and imposing unilateral sanctions under the pretext of human rights."

"The U.S. is in no position to impose unwarranted sanctions on other countries or act as a world policeman," embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said.