Syrian ministers, military, media hit with fresh EU sanctions

Dec 2, 2011, 10:14 GMT

Brussels - The European Union on Friday enacted new sanctions on Syria, slapping restrictive measures on ministers, military officials, media outlets and oil firms.

EU foreign ministers had approved the new sanctions on Thursday, but the targeted individuals and entitities were not identified until Friday, when the restrictive measures entered into force.

Finance Minister Mohammed Jleilati and Economy Minister Mohammed Nidal al-Shaar are now prevented from traveling to the EU and any assets they may hold in the bloc will be frozen, as part of a bid to pressure Syria into halting a crackdown on anti-regime protesters.

Ten officials from the Syrian army, republican and presidential guards, air force and political security division also face the same restrictions for their involvement in the violence in the resistance hotbed of Homs, the EU said.

Eleven new entities face financial sanctions too, including Cham Press TV and the state-run Al-Watan newspaper for what the bloc said was their participation 'in campaigns to spread disinformation and incite violence against demonstrators.'

Also targeted are the Damascus-based Scientific Studies and Research Centre and several of its subsidiaries for its support for the Syrian army, along with the state-owned company responsible for the export of Syrian oil and two other petroleum firms.

The ministers also paved the way for wide-ranging prohibitions on the business EU firms can do in Syria, affecting everything from the sale of computer software and insurance to interactions with the country's banking and energy sectors.

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