Brussels, 12/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - In Case T-202/12 on 12 March, the European General Court confirmed the sanctions issued by the Council in 2012 against Boushra al-Assad, the sister of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, and widow of the deputy chief of staff of the Syrian army, for colluding with the president and Syrian leaders. The court says that despite her husband's death, the family ties between Boushra al-Assad and her brother were strong enough for the EU to consider that she has close ties with the Syrian leaders. Boushra al-Assad had appealed against being included on the blacklist of individuals covered by EU sanctions against the Syrian regime (freezing of assets and an EU-wide travel and transit ban). She argued that the decision had been taken without her being informed in advance of the reasons for it, and using disproportionate means. The court rejected her request, stating that the Council was not required to provide her with information in advance and that that she had in any case had several months in which to challenge the decision. The judges said that the fact alone that Boushra al-Assad was the sister of the Syrian president was enough for her to be considered connected with the Syrian leaders, particularly because there was the well-known tradition of the country being governed by the ruling family. In addition, the Council pointed out websites demonstrating Boushra al-Assad's own role in politics, despite the fact that she claimed to have never had any public or business role and was simple a housewife who had had to flee her country and whose children go to school in the United Arab Emirates. (FG)