The Swiss government has announced stricter measures to freeze the assets of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his close associates, ensuring that no funds from the former regime are transferred out of the country, regardless of future developments in international sanctions.
In an official statement, the government emphasized that this decision is an extension of the sanctions imposed by the European Union on Syria since 2011, which included asset freezes targeting the Syrian regime. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), approximately 99 million Swiss francs ($112.5 million) in assets have been frozen, with an estimated two-thirds belonging to members of the former Syrian government and their associates.
Swiss authorities clarified that these additional measures target assets that “may have been acquired illegally,” stressing that they will remain frozen regardless of any future changes in sanctions. The decision also includes freezing the assets of five more individuals linked to the former Syrian government.
This move aims to prevent any attempts to transfer Assad-linked funds out of Switzerland before their legitimacy is verified. The Swiss government affirmed that if these assets are proven to be of illegal origin, Switzerland will seek to return them in a way that benefits the Syrian people.
Source: Agence France-Presse (AFP).
