In 2020, the EU sanctioned Maher al-Imam for his financial support to the Syrian regime, but his appeal was dismissed by the Court of Justice of the European Union in 2021. Despite his reduced public support and withdrawal from formal business dealings, Maher maintains control over key companies linked to the regime through his associate Muhammad Ammar Dalloul. Although, Maher transferred his shares in “Waves” to Dalloul in 2022, he yet still appears to be in control of the company. Last month, the EU delisted Maher without public justification, despite evidence suggesting that both Maher and Dalloul should be sanctioned for their ties to the Assad regime. This delisting exemplifies the failure of Western governments to understand the complex business-regime networks in Syria, highlighting the need for the EU and Western governments to revise their sanctioning processes to enhance their effectiveness while mitigating unintended consequences for innocent civilians.

For further details, you can read the full report here.