EU imposes sanctions on 4 Syria regime ministers

The European Union yesterday imposed sanctions on four ministers recently appointed to the Syrian government, blaming them for playing a role in the continued repression of civilians in the country.

Sanctions have been imposed on the Ministers of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection, Amr Salem, Media Affairs, Boutros Hallaq, Social Affairs and Labour, Mohamed Seif El-Din and Minister of State Diala Barakat.

They include asset freezes and travel bans in Europe.

The new sanctions bring the number of people in Syria targeted by EU measures to 287.

A further 70 “entities”, including organisations, banks and companies, are also on the blacklist, for benefiting from their ties with the regime.

The EU previously imposed sanctions on President Bashar Al-Assad and the majority of his family members and relatives.

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