The European Union on Monday, June 23rd, announced a fresh round of sanctions targeting five individuals with close ties to former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, citing their involvement in crimes against humanity, including the use of chemical weapons. In a statement, the Council of the EU said the sanctions include an asset freeze and a travel ban within the bloc.
Among those sanctioned are three former members of the Syrian Republican Guard and Armed Forces, who, according to the EU, played direct roles in torture, extrajudicial killings, and the brutal wave of violence that occurred in March. The Council stated that these individuals were “responsible for human rights violations during Assad’s rule.”
The remaining two targets are prominent businessmen operating as financial representatives of the Assad government in Russia. The EU accuses them of helping to finance the regime’s crimes against humanity through their economic and political influence.
