The Obama administration slapped sanctions today on Syrian President Bashar Assad and six other government officials because of violent crackdowns on pro-democracy protesters in that country.
In the executive order outlining the sanctions, President Obama cited “Syria’s continuing escalation of violence against the people of Syria — including through attacks on protesters, arrests and harassment of protesters and political activists, and repression of democratic change, overseen and executed by numerous elements of the Syrian government.”
The new restrictions basically freeze any assets that Assad and his six aides have within U.S. jurisdiction, and forbid Americans from doing business with them.
The U.S. has existing sanctions on two of Assad’s relatives and another top government official, but are now targeting Assad himself.
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