The European Union (EU) has strengthened its sanctions against the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad due to the “gravity of the situation” and ongoing human rights violations by the regime. The new sanctions, which take effect on May 15, add three new individuals and two new entities to the initial EU asset freeze announced on January 18, 2012. The EU currently subjects a total of 128 persons and 43 entities to the Syria-related asset freeze.
