More Syria Sanctions Needed, Lawmakers Say
The leaders of the Senate and House foreign affairs committees urged the Biden administration to impose more sanctions on the Bashar al-Assad regime to “reinforce” the U.S.’s position against Syria. The lawmakers said several Arab partners have continued formal and informal relationships with the regime despite its “horrific” human rights abuses, and more sanctions could make sure the regime remains isolated.
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The administration should specifically impose more sanctions under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act against the Assad regime and its supporters, “both inside and outside Syria,” the lawmakers said in a Jan. 11 letter to President Joe Biden. Sanctions should be imposed “until we see progress on the release of political prisoners, an end to the use of Syrian airspace for attacks against civilians, unfettered humanitarian access, and compliance with the prohibitions on the use of chemical weapons, and accountability for war crimes.”
The White House didn’t comment. The letter was signed by the top Democrats and Republicans on both House and Senate committees: Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and Reps. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and Michael McCaul, R-Texas.