The Syrian American Council has announced the postponement of the hearing that was scheduled to be held on 20 November before the US Congress, at which Farid al-Madhhan, known as “Caesar”, was due to testify regarding calls to lift the Caesar Act, after his mother suffered a health emergency that placed her in intensive care.
Mohammad Alaa Ghanem, Head of Policy at the Council, told Enab Baladi that a new date for the hearing has not yet been set, and that the Council was forced to postpone it due to the health condition of Farid al-Madhhan “Caesar”.
On 18 November, Ghanem wrote on Facebook that the deterioration in al-Madhhan’s mother’s health had imposed the postponement of the hearing to a later date. He explained that over the past two weeks, the Council had finalized most of the logistical and technical arrangements to host “Caesar” in Washington, in coordination with several members of Congress and the US Department of State.
Ghanem noted that some US lawmakers had canceled work trips to stay in the capital and prepare for the hearing, and that the facilitation provided by the US administration came despite the government shutdown in America. However, he added that the postponement does not mean an end to ongoing efforts to push for the repeal of the Caesar Act.
Farid al-Madhhan published a statement saying he had been forced to cancel his travel “due to urgent and compelling circumstances”, and expressed his apology to Syrians and to all parties that had been anticipating the hearing.
The Syrian American Council also expressed its understanding of the emergency and affirmed that it would continue to work “on all possible tracks” to press for lifting sanctions and to push towards “a genuine recovery phase” in Syria.
In parallel, Congress deleted the text of the hearing announcement it had posted on its official website on 14 November.
The hearing, which was to be livestreamed, had been expected to focus on what it describes as a “new opportunity phase” that Syria is going through after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, and on ways to support “a united, prosperous and independent Syria” in a manner that would promote regional peace and curb the influence of Russia, Iran and China.
The session was also set to host three main witnesses, Farid al-Madhhan, “Caesar”, after whom the law is named, Youssef Hamra, Chief Rabbi of the Mosaic community in Syria, and Mirna Barq, head of the organization “Syrian Christians for Peace”.
Extension of the suspension of the Caesar Act
The US Departments of the Treasury and Commerce have announced the extension of the partial suspension of the implementation of Caesar Act sanctions for an additional 180 days.
According to a joint statement by the two departments on 10 November, the decision replaces the previous waiver issued on 23 May. The new suspension halts the application of most sanctions imposed under the Act, except those involving financial or commercial transactions with Russia and Iran.
The statement came after Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa visited the White House, his first visit by a Syrian president.
The statement clarified that this step aims to “open the way for American and international companies and institutions to engage in economic and development projects in Syria”, while at the same time maintaining “restrictions related to countries and entities that are subject to separate US sanctions”.
It added, “The United States remains committed to supporting a united, stable, and peaceful Syria. Lifting sanctions will allow the rebuilding of the economy and the achievement of prosperity for all citizens, including ethnic and religious minorities, and will strengthen counterterrorism efforts.”
The statement stressed that sanctions remain in force against those it described as “the worst of the worst”, including Bashar al-Assad and those close to him, human rights violators, Captagon traffickers, and destabilizing regional actors, while the US government continues to review Syria’s designation as a “State Sponsor of Terrorism”.
Sensitive US exports that appear on the trade control list will also still require export licenses.
What is the Caesar Act?
The Caesar Act is a bill passed by the US House of Representatives on 15 November 2016 and signed into law by US President Donald Trump on 21 December 2019, during his first term.
The law stipulates sanctions against anyone who provides support to the former Syrian regime, and obliges the President of the United States to impose sanctions on states allied with the deposed Assad.
It covers anyone who provides military, financial, or technical support to the former regime, including companies, individuals, and states, up to and including Russia and Iran, and targets anyone who provides assistance related to reconstruction in Syria.
The Act is named after the Syrian military defector Farid al-Madhhan, “Caesar”, who smuggled out 55,000 photographs of 11,000 detainees in 2014 who were killed under torture. The FBI confirmed their authenticity, and the images stirred global public opinion at the time and were displayed in the US Senate.
Congress hearing on the Caesar Act postponed Enab Baladi.
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