U.S. imposes sanctions against Syrian MP

U.S. imposes sanctions against Syrian MP

2011-08-05 00:27:32 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- The U.S. government on Thursday announced new sanctions against Syria by including a Syrian member of parliament who is also a prominent businessman.

The U.S. Treasury Department said it added Muhammad Hamsho to its sanctions list, prohibiting U.S. citizens from engaging in commercial or financial transactions with him and any assets owned by him in U.S. jurisdiction have been frozen. Hamsho is the head of Hamsho International Group.

"Muhammad Hamsho earned his fortune through his connections to regime insiders, and during the current unrest, he has cast his lot with Bashar al-Asad, Mahir al-Asad and others responsible for the Syrian government's violence and intimidation against the Syrian people," said U.S. Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen. "The sanctions we are applying today to Hamsho and his company are the direct consequence of his actions."

Hamsho is described by the United States as one of Syria's top businessmen and reportedly has interests in nearly every sector of the Syrian economy. He is a close business associate of President Asad's brother Mahir al-Asad and has served as a frontman for him and a number of Asad's businesses.

The U.S. says Hamsho has also provided gifts to gain the favor of senior Syrian officials and has served as a front to mask a senior Syrian official's illicit and licit financial and business transactions. Members of the Syrian business community believe that Hamsho is a successful businessman because of his relationship to Syrian elites rather than his business acumen, the U.S. added. In addition, during Hamsho's successful bids for election to the Syrian parliament, he allegedly paid large sums of money to secure his seat.

Hamsho International Group itself, which has approximately 20 subsidiary or affiliated companies, was also targeted under the new sanctions. The European Union earlier this year also imposed sanctions on the company.

Human rights groups have said that more than 2,000 people have died since the government crackdown on protesters began in mid-March and tens of thousands have been arrested. Global campaign group Avaaz said earlier that almost 3,000 people have also been forcibly disappeared.

In mid-March, pro-democracy demonstrations began in Syria and have continued across the country, which has been ruled by the Baath Party since 1963. Protesters are demanding the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, who took over from his father in 2000.

Assad previously said that the recent events in the country are a conspiracy against national unity. The Syrian government has repeatedly claimed that the violent acts have been instigated by terrorists who use military uniforms and weaponry to pose as soldiers while attacking citizens.

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