BRUSSELS, Belgium — EU foreign ministers on Friday imposed sanctions on the wife and three other close relatives of Syrian President Bashar Assad, freezing their assets and banning them from traveling to the EU in a continuing attempt to stop the violent crackdown on opposition.
Also Friday, the United Nations’ top human rights body sharply condemned the crackdown and the U.N. announced that the joint U.N.-Arab League envoy, Kofi Annan, would travel to Russia and China for more talks aimed at peacefully resolving the crisis.
The U.N. estimates that more than 8,000 people have been killed since an uprising began in Syria a year ago.
Four members of the Assad family and eight government ministers were targeted Friday by the EU the officials said. Three officials spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision that will be announced later Friday following the foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
In addition, the assets of two Syrian companies have been frozen, an EU official said.
The EU has imposed 12 previous rounds of sanctions against the Syrian regime, so far with no appreciable effect on its behavior. The crackdown has only intensified.