The European Union has imposed new sanctions on key military officials within the regime’s army under the Union’s Global Human Rights Sanctions System.
According to a statement issued by the European Union on Monday, July 22, the sanctions target Minister of Defense Ali Mahmoud Abbas and Chief of Staff Abdul Karim Muhammad Ibrahim. The statement outlined that Abbas and Ibrahim bear responsibility for the regime’s army’s involvement in “systematic and widespread torture, rape, and sexual and gender-based violence against civilians.”
The sanctions entail asset freezes, a prohibition on providing funds or economic resources to the sanctioned individuals or for their benefit, directly or indirectly, and a travel ban to European Union countries.
In January, the European Union added several Syrian individuals and entities to its sanctions list for their support and assistance to the Syrian regime. This included Yasar Ibrahim, head of the Economic Office in the Presidential Palace; Bilal Al-Naal, a member of the Syrian-Russian Business Council and the Syrian People’s Assembly; Fahd Darwish, head of the Joint Syrian-Iranian Chamber of Commerce; Muhannad al-Dabbagh, a relative of Asma al-Assad and co-owner of Takamul Company Limited, which manages the smart card program; and Firas al-Akhras, Asma al-Assad’s brother and partner in Takamul Company.
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.
