The uncle of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad has been sentenced to four years in jail by a Paris court after he was found guilty of acquiring millions of euros worth of French property using money diverted from the Syrian state.
The court ruled that Rifaat Al Assad’s properties in France be seized and a property in London believed to be worth €29 million (Dh120m) also be confiscated.
His lawyers said the decision would be appealed.
READ ALSO: Syrian ex-secret police on trial for war crimes
Al Assad, who is accused of being behind the 1982 Hama massacre in which as many as 40,000 people were killed, has a property empire worth an estimated $100m (Dh367m) including two Paris townhouses and a chateau.
His brother, Hafez Al Assad, ruled Syria from 1971 to 2000 and was succeeded by his son, Bashar
(www.newsnow.co.uk)
Leave a Reply