On Monday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) leveled one of the largest sanctions actions in OFAC’s history. OFAC sanctioned 271 employees of Syria’s Scientific Studies and Research Center (“SSRC”).
According to OFAC, the SSRC is responsible for developing chemical weapons that were used against civilians by Syrian government forces earlier this month in Khan Sheikhoun, Syria. OFAC has stated that these 271 designated individuals are scientists who have expertise in chemistry and related scientific disciplines and have supported the SSRC program since at least 2012. OFAC has stated that these individuals are working on developing chemical weapons for Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Because of the sanctions, U.S. persons are now generally prohibited from conducting business with these designated individuals. Any property or interest in property of the 271 individuals in the possession or control of U.S. persons or within the United States must be blocked. Additionally, U.S. banks have been ordered to freeze the assets of any employees that have been named.
The sanctions more than double the number of individuals and entities sanctioned by the United States pursuant to Syria-related Executive Orders. These sanctions are intended to hold the Assad regime and those who support it accountable for the regime’s violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention and UN Security Council Resolution 2118.
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