Proposed Syria Sanctions Relief Act Wipes Out Major Civilian Protection and Accountability Laws

This bill, titled the Syria Sanctions Relief Act, is straightforward: it proposes to completely repeal two significant pieces of existing U.S. law related to Syria. Specifically, it targets Title VII of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012, and it also cancels Title LXXIV of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, which is better known as the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019. The bill’s core action is removing these previous statutory frameworks that established sanctions and accountability measures against the Syrian regime and its supporters.

Clearing the Accountability Books

Think of this bill as hitting the 'delete' button on laws that were designed to hold certain actors in Syria accountable for human rights violations and war crimes. The 2012 law that’s being repealed contained measures aimed at promoting human rights and democracy in Syria. While that law had been on the books for a decade, the bigger headline here is the repeal of the Caesar Act. That 2019 legislation specifically allowed the U.S. to impose sanctions on anyone—regardless of nationality—who engaged in financial, material, or technological support for the Syrian government, military, or certain individuals connected to human rights abuses. This was the mechanism that allowed the U.S. to target those aiding the regime’s military efforts or profiting from reconstruction efforts.

The Real-World Impact of Removing the Caesar Act

When you repeal the Caesar Act (Title LXXIV of the 2020 NDAA), you are essentially removing the legal teeth the U.S. has used to discourage international entities from doing business with the Syrian government. For a global construction company, for instance, this repeal means the risk of being sanctioned by the U.S. for participating in a Syrian reconstruction project is gone. For Syrian civilians and human rights advocates, the Caesar Act was a crucial tool designed to pressure the regime by cutting off its economic lifelines. Removing it means those currently subject to U.S. sanctions under that law—often individuals or groups tied to atrocities—would be free to resume business without fear of U.S. legal repercussions. In short, this bill removes existing legal constraints and protections, making it significantly easier for entities to engage with the Syrian regime without facing penalties.

Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost

If this bill passes, the primary beneficiaries would be the Syrian government and its financial supporters, as the statutory framework for sanctions and accountability is dismantled. Entities looking to invest in Syria would also benefit from the reduced risk. The cost, however, is borne by Syrian civilians and international human rights advocates. The existing laws were put in place to protect civilians and promote human rights. By repealing them, the U.S. effectively steps back from its commitment to those accountability measures. This is a clear example of a policy change where the administrative action (repeal of two titles) has massive foreign policy implications, essentially withdrawing key legal mechanisms designed to punish those responsible for ongoing humanitarian crises.