The European Union is prolonging sanctions against the Assad regime for a year due to its continued crackdown against civilians in the war-ravaged country.
EU headquarters said Friday that the 28-nation bloc "decided to maintain its restrictive measures against the Assad regime and its supporters as the repression of civilian population continues."
It means that 270 people and 70 entities like companies or organizations will have travel bans and asset freezes against them extended until June 1, 2020. The sanctions are due to alleged violence against civilians, benefiting from or supporting the regime, or being associated with people who do.
EU sanctions against the regime include an oil embargo, restrictions on certain investments, a freeze of the assets of the Syrian central bank in the EU and on technology and equipment that might be used for internal repression.
Syria has just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in early 2011 when the regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected severity.
