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EU court annuls asset freeze on ex Syria minister

04 July 2014, 14:24 CET
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EU court annuls asset freeze on ex Syria minister

European Court of Justice - General Court

(LUXEMBOURG) - An EU court on Thursday said it had overturned a travel ban and asset freeze on a former Syrian minister due to lack of proof of his links with the regime after leaving office.

The European Union's second highest court, the General Court of the European Union, said it "annuls the restrictive measures imposed on Mr Mohamad Nedal Alchaar solely because of his status as a former Syrian Minister of Economy and Trade."

A court statement said that during the time he held the portfolio, from April 2011 to June 2012, Alchaar held responsibility for the actions of the Bashar al-Assad regime, including its violence against civilians.

But the EU had provided no proof that he maintained close links with the regime after he left office, and Alchaar produced two affidavits stating he exercised no significant political responsibilities and was never a member of the ruling Baath party.

Some 190 Syrians, including cabinet ministers and Assad cronies are currently under EU sanctions, along with 53 entities.

But in the first such decision affecting Syrian sanctions, the General Court in June annulled an EU asset freeze on the Syria International Islamic Bank on the grounds there was insufficient proof its clients were linked to the repression of civilians.

The decision followed similar legal victories in 2013 by several Iranian companies.

Judgement of the General Court in case T-203/12 - Alchaar v Council


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