The United Nations experts welcomed the recent lifting of sanctions on Syria by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, and Switzerland. These sanctions had been in place for over 14 years and had significant and widespread human rights impacts across the country.
The sanctions were initially imposed in 2011 after the Syrian Government, under President Bashar al-Assad, responded to pro-democracy protests with severe repression. Human rights violations such as arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings were documented, amounting to crimes against humanity. In response, several countries implemented sectoral and financial sanctions targeting the Syrian Government, its officials, and affiliated entities, aiming to curb the repression, prevent the use of chemical weapons, and discourage State-sponsored terrorism.
The impact of these sanctions disproportionately affected vulnerable groups including women, children, people with disabilities, the elderly, migrants, internally displaced persons, and minority communities. The EU has now lifted economic sanctions on sectors like energy, transport, and banking, although individuals and entities connected to the former regime will remain listed until June 2026. Security-related sanctions, including an arms embargo and export restrictions, remain in effect.
The UK has similarly eased sanctions on key economic sectors. In the United States, General License 25 issued in May 2025 allowed American citizens to engage in business in Syria. However, broader sanctions under frameworks like the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, along with export controls and terrorism-related restrictions, remain active.
The UN experts also raised concerns over recent sectarian violence in Sweida province and condemned Israel’s unlawful intervention in the area. They called for an immediate ceasefire and urged all parties to allow Syria’s interim government to restore order in accordance with international law.
