Press release
Syrian Opposition Coalition
Department of Media and Communications
October 12, 2021
The announcement by the European Union that it was extending sanctions on the Assad regime for additional year is a positive step, especially as the list was extended to include new regime institutions. The European Union’s commitment to maintaining its firm stances towards the murderous Assad regime is of very high importance and must be taken into account by all parties.
On every occasion, the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) stresses the importance of taking all the necessary measures to mitigate the impact of these sanctions on the Syrian people and limit their application to the Assad regime and those involved in violations and crimes against the Syrian people. However, it is also necessary to stress the importance of seriously implementing these measures and preventing attempts to dodge them.
We also stress the importance of the US sanctions on the Assad regime, known as the Caesar Act, as we stress the need to verify the strict implementation of the act.
Any hesitation in the implementation of sanctions will only undermine their effectiveness and weaken their role. It will also prolong the suffering of the Syrian people and delay the change they are yearning for, whether they are inside or outside Syria.
The European Union, the United States and Britain, as well as the Arab and friendly states are collectively and individually required to assume their responsibilities with regard to establishing an effective international mechanism whereby the sanctions are combined with practical measures within a specific time frame in order to put an end to the ongoing carnage in Syria. Such mechanism is also crucial for ending the suffering of tens of thousands of detainees in the Assad regime’s prisons, ensuring the safe return of refugees and IDPs, and implementing international resolutions, especially UN Resolution 2254.
