On Friday 16 October, the Council of the European Union imposed sanctions – in the shape of frozen assets and a ban on travel to the EU – on seven recently appointed Syrian ministers.
As government ministers, they share responsibility for the violent repression of the civilian population by the Syrian regime, justifying the legal acts linked to the decision published today.
The seven ministers are Ahmad Sayyed, the Minister of Justice, Kinan Yaghi, the Minister of Finance, Talal Al-Barazi, the Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection and Tammam Ra’ad, the Minister of Hydraulic/Water Resources.
Loubana Mouchaweh, the Culture Minister, Daren Taba’a, the Minister of Education, and Zuhair Khazam, the Minister of Transport, complete the list.
All were appointed in August 2020, except Al-Barazi, who was appointed in May 2020.
With this decision, sanctions have been imposed on 280 individuals and 70 Syrian entities for their involvement in or support for the al-Assad regime. These measures will run until 1 June 2021. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)