The British-born wife of Bashar al-Assad should not be permitted to enjoy a “life of luxury” in the UK, Sir Keir Starmer was informed, following speculation that she was contemplating a divorce and a return to London. Asma al-Assad and her husband have reportedly been restricted to Moscow, with their property assets frozen by authorities since seeking asylum there.
Turkish media reports indicated that she wished to return to the UK, where she holds dual nationality, for cancer treatment. On Sunday, No 10 declined to comment on whether she should have her passport revoked. However, Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, stated: “It would be an affront to the millions of Assad’s victims if his wife returned to a life of luxury in the UK.” He further remarked: “She has been sanctioned by the UK Government for a reason – the Assad family has been responsible for some of the worst atrocities in modern history.”
David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, previously expressed that Mrs. Assad was “not welcome” back in Britain, emphasizing that sanctions against her remain in effect. When asked on Monday about the possibility of her citizenship being revoked, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson replied: “We’ve always maintained that we do not comment on individual cases.”
Mrs. Assad had her UK assets frozen as part of an EU sanctions program in March 2012, amid escalating protests against her husband’s regime. These sanctions continued after Brexit, and in 2021, the Metropolitan Police initiated a preliminary investigation into allegations that she incited and assisted war crimes committed by the Assad regime’s forces during Syria’s 13-year civil war.
Labeled a “notorious war profiteer,” Mrs. Assad, along with her parents and two brothers, faced US sanctions in 2020, with then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denouncing her actions. On Monday, the Kremlin dismissed claims that Mrs. Assad was seeking to divorce her husband and leave Russia. In May, it was disclosed that she had been diagnosed with leukemia, having previously undergone treatment for breast cancer between 2018 and 2019.
In theory, Mrs. Assad could still return to London with her children, but if the UK were to accept her, she would have to separate from her husband, who would otherwise be arrested upon arrival. Mrs. Assad is the daughter of Fawaz Akhras, a well-respected cardiologist, and Sahar, a former diplomat at the Syrian embassy. Her brothers, Feras and Eyad, are also in the medical profession. The family, originally from Homs, still possesses the £1 million terrace house near the A40 where Mrs. Assad grew up.
Known as Emma in her youth, Mrs. Assad transitioned from a local Church of England secondary school to Queen’s College, a private girls’ school in Marylebone. She earned a first-class degree in computer science from King’s College London and pursued a career in investment banking, working for Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan in New York, Paris, and London. In 1992, she began dating Bashar al-Assad, who was then second in line to the Syrian throne while studying to become an eye doctor in London. Following the tragic death of his brother Bassel in a car accident in 1996, Bashar became the heir apparent.
The couple married shortly after the passing of Bashar’s father, Hafez, in 2000. Together, they endeavored to enhance Syria’s international image by engaging with foreign dignitaries and European royals after decades of his father’s oppressive rule. The new first lady met Queen Elizabeth II during a state visit to Buckingham Palace in 2002 and mingled with Hollywood celebrities, even inviting Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to Damascus in 2009.
However, their initially perceived innocent and Western-friendly image deteriorated during Assad’s brutal crackdown on the Syrian uprising in 2011, which led to nearly 14 years of violence and civil war. Dubbed the “Rose in the Desert” by Vogue in 2011, Mrs. Assad quickly became an international outcast as she remained silent in support of her husband. Amidst widespread suffering and starvation in the country, leaked emails revealed that she was secretly purchasing high-end paintings, furniture, jewelry, and Christian Louboutin shoes through intermediaries in Paris and London.
While the Assads claimed to lead a middle-class lifestyle, the true extent of their luxury was unveiled when rebels captured Damascus, resulting in looting of Assad’s presidential palace and private residences. People were seen leaving with designer clothing still in their bags, bearing labels from fashion houses like Dior and Louis Vuitton. In one bedroom, the floor was cluttered with jewelry, antiques, and other lavish items. Among private family photographs lay incriminating bank records in Mrs. Assad’s maiden name, indicating the movement of large sums of money and potential large-scale fraud. Over the weekend, Dame…
