LegalizeCouncil Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1111 of 28 May 2025 implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses
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| Image omitted; see official source | Official Journal of the European Union | EN L series |
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| 2025/1111 | 28.5.2025 |
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 of 7 December 2020 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses 1, and in particular Article 14(1) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
Whereas:
- (1) On 7 December 2020, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) 2020/1998.
- (2) On 8 December 2020, by way of the declaration by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on behalf of the European Union, regarding the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, the Union and its Member States reaffirmed their strong commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. The EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime underscores the Union’s determination to enhance its role in addressing serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide. Realising the effective enjoyment of human rights for every person is a strategic goal of the Union. Respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights is a fundamental value of the Union and its common foreign and security policy.
- (3) In March 2025, a wave of violence in Syria’s coastal region created a high number of victims, including many civilians. On 11 March 2025, the High Representative issued a statement on behalf of the Union in which the Union condemned the horrific crimes committed against civilians in the context of that violence, including arbitrary killings.
- (4) In that context, two persons and three entities should be added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies set out in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2020/1998.
- (5) Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 should therefore be amended accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 28 May 2025.
For the Council
The President
A. SZŁAPKA
ANNEX
Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 is amended as follows:
- (1) the following entries are added to the list of natural or legal persons, entities or bodies under the heading ‘A. Natural persons’:
| Names (Transliteration into Latin script) | Names | Identifying information | Reasons for listing | Date of listing | |
| ‘119. | Muhammad Hussein AL-JASIM a.k.a. Abu AMSHA, Muhammad Husayn AL-JASIM, Muhammad AL-JASSIM BIN HUSSEIN, Mohamed ALJASEM | محمد حسين الجاسم أبو عمشة محمد حسين الجاسم محمد الجاسم بن حسين محمد الجاسم (Arabic spelling) | Position(s): DOB: 1985 POB: Al-Jawsa, Hama Governorate, Syria Nationality: Syrian Gender: male Associated entities: Sultan Sulaiman Shah Brigade | Muhammad Hussein al-Jasim is the founder and leader of the Sultan Sulaiman Shah Brigade, a Syrian armed militia active in the Syrian civil war. In March 2025, the Sultan Sulaiman Shah Brigade, under Muhammad Hussein al-Jasim’s command, took part in the violence in the coastal region of Syria, targeting civilians and especially the Alawite community, including by committing arbitrary killings of civilians. Muhammad Hussein al-Jasim is therefore responsible for serious human rights abuses in Syria, including arbitrary killings. | 28.5.2025 |
| 120. | Sayf Boulad ABU BAKR a.k.a Sayf BALUD, Saif ABU BAKR, Seyf Ebu BEKIR, Seyf EBUBEKIR | سيف بولاد أبو بكر سيف بولاد سيف أبو بكر (Arabic spelling) | Position(s): DOB: 1987-1988 POB: Bza’ah, al-Bab District, Syria Nationality: Syrian Gender: male Associated entities: Hamza Division | Sayf Boulad Abu Bakr is the leader of the Hamza Division, an armed militia created in 2016 and operating in Syria. Throughout the Syrian civil war, the Hamza Division, under Sayf Boulad Abu Bakr’s command, has been responsible for numerous acts of torture in that group’s detention centers, for extortion and for forced displacement of civilians, especially in the regions of Afrin and Aleppo. In March 2025, the Hamza Division, under Sayf Boulad Abu Bakr’s command, took part in the violence in the coastal region of Syria, targeting civilians and especially the Alawite community, including by committing torture and arbitrary killings of civilians. Sayf Boulad Abu Bakr is therefore responsible for serious human rights abuses in Syria, including torture and arbitrary killings of civilians. | 28.5.2025’; |
- (2) the following entries are added to the list of natural or legal persons, entities or bodies under the heading ‘B. Legal persons, entities and bodies’:
| Names (Transliteration into Latin script) | Name | Identifying information | Reasons for listing | Date of listing | |
| ‘34. | Sultan Sulaiman Shah Brigade a.k.a. Suleiman Shah Brigade | فرقة السلطان سليمان شاه (Arabic spelling) | Associated individual(s): Muhammad Hussein al-Jasim | The Sultan Sulaiman Shah Brigade is an armed militia created in 2016, active in the Syrian civil war. It was founded in 2016 in Jarabulus by Muhammad Hussein al-Jasim, also known as Abu Amsha and claims to have more than 2 000 fighters, mainly Turkmen. In March 2025, the Sultan Sulaiman Shah Brigade took part in the violence in the coastal region of Syria, targeting civilians and especially the Alawite community, including by committing arbitrary killings of civilians. Sultan Sulaiman Shah brigade is therefore responsible for serious human rights abuses in Syria, including arbitrary killings of civilians. | 28.5.2025 |
| 35. | The Hamza Division | فرقة الحمزة (Arabic spelling) | Associated individual(s): Sayf Boulad Abu Bakr | The Hamza Division is an armed militia created in 2016 and operating in Syria. Throughout the Syrian civil war, the Hamza Division has been responsible for numerous acts of torture in its detention centres, for extortion and for forced displacement of civilians, especially in the region of Afrin and Aleppo. In March 2025, the Hamza Division, under Sayf Boulad Abu Bakr’s command, took part in the violence in the coastal region of Syria, targeting civilians and especially the Alawite community, including by committing arbitrary killings of civilians. The Hamza division is therefore responsible for serious human rights abuses in Syria, including torture and arbitrary killings. | 28.5.2025 |
| 36. | The Sultan Murad Division | فرقة السلطان مراد (Arabic spelling) | The Sultan Murad Division is an armed militia established in 2013 and operating during the Syrian Civil War. The Sultan Murad Division is affiliated with the Syrian National Army (SNA) and claims to have between 5 000 and 10 000 fighters. Before the fall of President al-Assad’s regime, the Sultan Murad Division participated in operations targeting Syria’s Kurdish community and the Syrian Democratic Forces, using torture, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearance and the ill-treatment of prisoners. The Sultan Murad Division also participated in military operations outside Syria, including in Libya, the Nagorno-Karabakh region and Niger. In March 2025, the Sultan Murad Division took part in the violence in the coastal region of Syria, targeting civilians and especially the Alawite community, including by committing inhuman treatment and arbitrary killings of civilians. The Sultan Murad Division is therefore responsible for serious human rights abuses in Syria, including torture, inhuman treatment and arbitrary killings of civilians. | 28.5.2025’. |
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1111/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)
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