A growing debate has emerged in Germany over the possible removal of economic sanctions on the Assad regime, with some political figures arguing that this might help address the ongoing refugee crisis. Leading the call is Sarah Wagenknecht, a member of the German parliament and leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), who recently suggested that lifting sanctions could help stem the flow of Syrian refugees into Germany.
In an interview with Tagesspiegel on Saturday, Wagenknecht contended that the war in Syria is over and that sanctions are preventing the country from recovering. She argued that removing the restrictions would allow Syria to rebuild its economy and reduce the number of Syrians seeking asylum in Europe.
“Before the war, Syria was a relatively prosperous country and not a significant source of refugees to Germany,” Wagenknecht said, adding that the pre-war number of Syrian refugees entering Germany annually was around 100. She also advocated for stricter border controls and fewer legal protections for newly arrived Syrian refugees, pointing out that while some have integrated into German society, others have struggled.
Her remarks come as Germany, which hosts nearly one million Syrian refugees, tightens border controls amid security concerns following an attack involving an asylum seeker. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced stricter border checks starting September 16, citing threats from “Islamic extremism” and cross-border crime.
Wagenknecht’s proposal to lift sanctions on Assad echoes similar sentiments from other European leaders, including Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg. Both have called for revisiting Europe’s approach toward Assad, suggesting that normalizing relations could facilitate the return of refugees and ease Europe’s burden.
However, the idea of normalizing relations with Assad has drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocates and experts in transitional justice. Refik Hodžić, a prominent transitional justice expert and former spokesperson for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), warned that normalizing Assad would have severe political and moral repercussions for Europe.
“Normalizing Assad would be a political and moral disaster,” Hodžić wrote in an Op-Ed for Euronews. “It would send a clear message that dictators can commit war crimes, displace half their population, and still be welcomed back.”
Drawing from his experiences in the Balkans, Hodžić emphasized that attempts to normalize relations with dictators responsible for war crimes only reinforce their grip on power and perpetuate cycles of violence and repression.
He also highlighted a fundamental flaw in the argument that lifting sanctions would encourage Syrian refugees to return home. According to Hodžić, refugees are not merely economic migrants; they fled horrific violence, torture, and repression under the Assad regime.
“Many of these refugees are considered enemies by the very regime that Europe seeks to normalize,” Hodžić wrote. He pointed out that Assad’s government has enacted laws allowing it to seize the properties of displaced Syrians, labeling them as “terrorists” or “traitors.”
A report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2023 revealed that only 1.1% of Syrian refugees expressed a willingness to return to Syria under current conditions. The report indicated that refugees demand security, freedom from arbitrary detention, and access to basic livelihoods, conditions that Assad’s regime has failed to meet. “Any attempts to force or encourage refugees to return under Assad’s rule will only result in renewed displacement,” Hodžić warned.
He also expressed deep concern over proposals to create “safe zones” in Assad-controlled areas as a solution for returning refugees, drawing parallels to the tragic failure of the Srebrenica “safe zone” during the Bosnian War, where Bosnian Serb forces massacred 8,000 men and boys.
“In Syria, the situation is even more complex. Assad’s regime controls vast swathes of territory, but key areas are influenced by Iranian-backed militias, Hezbollah, and Russian forces. These are militarized zones where civilians continue to live in fear.”
With European governments increasingly divided on the issue, the discussion of normalizing relations with Assad is set to intensify. Proponents argue that lifting sanctions would enable Syria’s economic recovery and reduce refugee flows to Europe, but critics like Hodžić caution that this strategy is both short-sighted and dangerous.
Hodžić believes that Europe must instead maintain sanctions and continue supporting accountability for war crimes. He advocates for increasing support for refugees where they are currently hosted and for efforts that address the root causes of the Syrian crisis, rather than forcing premature returns to an unsafe and repressive regime.
“Europe faces a critical choice,” he posits, “It can either normalize Assad and prepare for new waves of Syrian refugees or stand firm in its commitment to human rights and accountability, creating a genuinely safe environment for Syrians.”
