EU steps up sanctions on Syria

Pressure on Assad’s regime ramps up as European ministers freeze officials’ assets

27 February 2012, 1:10 pm

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Syrian girls play on top of a destroyed Syrian riot police tank in the Bayada neighborhood in Homs province, Syria. The EU expanded its financial sanctions against the Assad regime on Monday 27th February 2012 to try and bring an end to the violence. (photo credit: AP)

BRUSSELS (AP) — European foreign ministers increased the pressure Monday on Syria’s regime to stop its crackdown on opponents by freezing the assets of several Syrian government officials and imposing sanctions on the country’s central bank.

They also banned the purchase of gold, precious metals and diamonds from the country, and banned Syrian cargo flights from the European Union.

The EU had previously imposed several rounds of sanctions on Syria, freezing the assets of 100 people and 38 organizations, and trying to cut the country’s supply of equipment for its oil and gas sectors.

So far the EU sanctions have had little effect on the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Activist groups estimate nearly 7,500 people have died in 11 months of unrest.

The names of the Syrian officials sanctioned Monday will be made public Tuesday in the EU’s official journal. The new sanctions were adopted Monday morning by the foreign ministers of the 27 EU countries, meeting in Brussels, said Maja Kocijancic, an EU spokeswoman.