The Council decided to add five members of the Makhlouf family to the list of persons and entities subject to targeted EU restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria.
This decision follows the death of Mohammed Makhlouf in September 2020. Mr Makhlouf – sanctioned by the EU in August 2011 – was a businessman closely associated with the Assad family and with significant ties to the Syrian regime. His death poses the risk that the assets inherited by his family members will be used to support the activities of the Syrian regime, and will flow directly into the regime’s possession, potentially contributing to the regime’s violent repression of the civilian population.
With this decision, the list of people and entities subject to sanctions in view of the situation in Syria now includes 292 persons, targeted by both an assets freeze and a travel ban, and 70 entities subject to an assets freeze. In addition, EU persons and entities are forbidden from making funds available to both listed individuals and entities.
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