According to the Official Journal of the European Union, Cham Wings, a private Syrian airline, has formally challenged sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU). The company argues that the EU made “a clear error in assessing the facts” by linking it to Cham Wings, another airline accused of benefiting and supporting the Syrian regime. The case was registered with the General Court of the European Union on August 7.
Cham Wings contends that the EU Council failed to provide sufficient grounds for the sanctions, as required by the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The airline has filed an appeal seeking to annul the sanctions, stating that the Council’s reasoning was insufficient and that the sanctions are based on an inaccurate assessment of the airline’s activities.
German Party Calls for Lifting Sanctions on Syrian Regime to Curb Asylum
In addition to claiming factual errors, the airline asserts that the sanctions violate the general principle of proportionality, arguing that the measures imposed on it are excessive and unjustified. Cham Wings seeks not only the removal of sanctions but also demands that the EU Council bear all legal costs associated with the case.
Despite the sanctions, Cham Wings recently participated in the international tourism exhibition Vitor 2024 in Madrid, just days after being added to the EU sanctions list. The airline has been accused of transporting mercenaries and engaging in drug trafficking to support the Assad regime in Syria.
In a related legal development, the European General Court rejected the request of Mohammad Issam Shamout, chairman of the board of Cham Wings, to remove his name from the EU sanctions list. The court upheld the EU’s decision, citing adherence to state security concerns, judicial protection, and the principle of proportionality. Shamout had argued that the Syrian regime’s confiscation of his property should exempt him from the sanctions, but the court ruled that this did not sufficiently prove his dissociation from the regime.
Cham Wings was placed on the EU sanctions list in late February 2024. The airline is accused of transporting Syrian mercenaries, engaging in arms trafficking, drug smuggling, and money laundering in support of the Syrian regime’s activities. It is the only private airline in Syria allegedly benefiting from and supporting the regime.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
