Sanctions: Syria

In a statement delivered in the House of Commons, a minister addressed the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria. The minister acknowledged the immense suffering endured by the Syrian people, first under the brutal dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad and then at the hands of various extremist groups. The minister highlighted the staggering statistics, with over 6 million Syrians forced to flee as refugees, 7 million displaced within the country, and 90% living in poverty, with more than half lacking access to clean and safe water. The minister described this as a "humanitarian catastrophe" stemming from Assad's oppressive rule and the "industrialised brutalisation" of his own people. The minister noted that the recent earthquakes in February 2023 have further exacerbated the suffering, directly impacting an additional 9 million people. The minister stated that it is "absolutely right" to continue sanctioning Assad and his regime, but emphasized the need to ensure that vital humanitarian aid is delivered. In this regard, the minister expressed gratitude for the re-tabling of an instrument that would provide an automatic humanitarian exemption, rather than a license-based system, to allow humanitarian organizations access to fuel, enabling them to carry out their important work. The minister acknowledged that the sanctions regime, implemented under the previous Conservative government, rightly targets those responsible for the humanitarian disaster, not the rule-abiding NGOs, international organizations, and accredited individuals working to alleviate the suffering. The minister noted that the changes, including the extension of the 2023 earthquake exemptions to fuel, were requested by humanitarian groups through the tri-sector group. The minister also raised concerns about the proliferation of Captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine, in Syria, stating that the success of global sanctions in cutting off Assad's regime from funding has led him to turn Syria into a "narco-state," producing 80% of the world's Captagon. The minister expressed concern that this drug is starting to affect countries across the world, including the UK, and urged the government to take action to address this issue. Finally, the minister called for the government's support for a new chemical weapons tribunal to hold those responsible for such "heinous inhumanity" accountable and deliver justice for the Syrian people. The minister also urged the government to remain vigilant against the re-emergence of Daesh (ISIS) in the region and to use its voice to speak up for those whom Assad seeks to silence, as the minister believes that "hope lives on in Syria."