Switzerland Imposes New Asset Freeze on Bashar al-Assad and His Allies
The Swiss Federal Council has announced a new asset freeze targeting the former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his close associates. This decision aims to prevent any funds linked to Assad from leaving Switzerland before undergoing judicial scrutiny regarding their legitimacy.
The Council stated that if these funds are found to be of illicit origin in the future, Switzerland would work to return them in a way that benefits the Syrian people. The measures target individuals who held public positions under the authoritarian regimes of Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez al-Assad, as well as those with close family, personal, or business ties to them.
In December of last year, the Swiss government revealed that frozen Syrian assets in Switzerland amounted to approximately $112 million. Most of these assets have been frozen for years due to sanctions imposed by the European Union against Syria in May 2011.
Switzerland’s actions reflect its commitment to ensuring that illicit funds are not harbored within its borders and that justice is served for the Syrian people affected by decades of authoritarian rule.
