Human Rights Watch Calls on the EU to Lead Efforts to Lift Sanctions on Syria

Human Rights Watch called on the European Union (EU) to play a leading role in lifting sanctions on Syria, warning that these sanctions are hampering the country’s recovery and exacerbating the suffering of civilians.

In a statement, the organization said, “during our recent visit to Damascus, the first in 15 years, our researchers observed the extent of the devastation caused by years of war, as well as the economic and social challenges facing Syrians, with 90 percent living below the poverty line and half the population struggling to access or afford adequate food.

The organization emphasized that conditions outside the capital, Damascus, could be even tougher, highlighting the urgent need for international support.

The organization called on Western countries to recognize that continued international sanctions are hampering Syria’s recovery and Syrians’ access to basic services.

It noted that the European Union’s recent suspension of sanctions on some key sectors, such as energy and transportation, and its easing of sanctions on the financial sector are “a good step, but more is needed.

The organization called on the European Union to urgently lead efforts to prevent excessive compliance with sanctions that harm ordinary Syrian citizens, and to assess the impact of its remaining sanctions, including on the banking sector, on the economic and social rights of Syrians, and to conduct a comprehensive review of these sanctions to ensure that they do not harm civilians.

Raghda Sawas