The United States imposed sanctions on Syrian President Bashar Assad and his government Wednesday in the wake of escalating human rights abuses by Syrian forces to quell pro-democracy and anti-regime protests in the country.
The White House issued an executive order to freeze assets and property possessed by the Assad and six other top officials. Besides the president, the sanctions, which will be enforced by the Treasury Department, are also aimed at the Syrian vice president, prime minister, interior and defense ministers, and the head of military intelligence.
Americans are also banned from doing business with top Syrian officials.
Last week, the U.S. and European Union had imposed sanctions on 13 high-ranking Syrian officials, including Assad’s younger brother, but avoided placing sanctions on the president.
After a meeting with top EU diplomat Catherine Ashton on Tuesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Assad’s actions are belying his words. “President Assad talks about reform, but his heavy-handed brutal crackdown shows his true intentions,” Clinton said.
According to U.S. estimates, around a thousand people have been killed by Syrian forces since protests against the Syrian regime began two months ago. Syrian tactics to quell demonstrations include arbitrary arrests and torture.
The Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, Sarah Leah Whitson, said in a recent statement the ordinary citizens are getting the brunt of Syria’s war on terror.
“Syria’s leaders talk about a war against terrorists, but what we see on the ground is a war against ordinary Syrians—lawyers, human rights activists, and university students—who are calling for democratic changes in their country.”
The latest sanctions come as President Barack Obama a visits the Middle East and other European countries this week. Earlier White House officials said that Obama would not address any new Middle East peace initiative in a speech planned for Thursday.
The White House issued an executive order to freeze assets and property possessed by the Assad and six other top officials. Besides the president, the sanctions, which will be enforced by the Treasury Department, are also aimed at the Syrian vice president, prime minister, interior and defense ministers, and the head of military intelligence.
Americans are also banned from doing business with top Syrian officials.
Last week, the U.S. and European Union had imposed sanctions on 13 high-ranking Syrian officials, including Assad’s younger brother, but avoided placing sanctions on the president.
After a meeting with top EU diplomat Catherine Ashton on Tuesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Assad’s actions are belying his words. “President Assad talks about reform, but his heavy-handed brutal crackdown shows his true intentions,” Clinton said.
According to U.S. estimates, around a thousand people have been killed by Syrian forces since protests against the Syrian regime began two months ago. Syrian tactics to quell demonstrations include arbitrary arrests and torture.
The Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, Sarah Leah Whitson, said in a recent statement the ordinary citizens are getting the brunt of Syria’s war on terror.
“Syria’s leaders talk about a war against terrorists, but what we see on the ground is a war against ordinary Syrians—lawyers, human rights activists, and university students—who are calling for democratic changes in their country.”
The latest sanctions come as President Barack Obama a visits the Middle East and other European countries this week. Earlier White House officials said that Obama would not address any new Middle East peace initiative in a speech planned for Thursday.
Friends Read Free