EU General Court rejects Samir Hassan’s Syria case

The General Court has dismissed Samir Hassan’s application to annul his listing on the EU’s sanctions on Syria in Case T-790/14 Hassan v Council.

The Court said that his position as Vice President for Syria’s bilateral business council with Russia satisfied the criterion that he benefitted from or supported the Syrian regime, and it therefore did not need to consider the other reasons for his inclusion. The Court rejected (as it usually does) Mr Hassan’s proportionality and presumption of innocence arguments, and his claim for damages, since the Council’s conduct in listing him was not unlawful.