DISINFO: Sanctions are preventing the arrival of vaccines in Syria
SUMMARY
Vladimir Putin proposed the creation of green corridors free of sanctions in Syria, similar to those used to evacuate civilians from areas taken by terrorists, to introduce vaccines in the country. We are in the middle of a pandemic and sanctions are also preventing the arrival of vaccines.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about sanctions on Syria which are responsible for the suffering of the population.
The claim is false. EU sanctions on Syria have been carefully designed to target specific individuals and entities while allowing the arrival of aid during the Covid-19 pandemic. Independent expert research says that evidence suggests that is the Syrian Government who restricts the access of humanitarian organisations to communities in need and withholds medical supplies. Russia and China’s veto at the UN thwarted several attempts to expand humanitarian aid to Syria, including vaccines. Therefore, it is not true that sanctions prevent the arrival of vaccines in Syria and vaccination shots can reach the country normally when these actors allow it, as shown by the World Health Organisation's vaccination programme expected for the spring of 2021.
See other examples in our database, such as claims that sanctions in Syria aim to trigger hunger revolts to force regime change, that Syrian refugees can’t return due to Western sanctions, that the EU supports terrorists and not the sovereignty of Syria and its sanctions are a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, or that the European Council wants to starve the Syrian people.
This disinformation message appeared in the same TV programme as the claims that “Human rights are a Trojan horse in the West’s hybrid war” and that “Sanctions are whitewashed under beautiful terms but they are merely illegal actions”, and that “Claims about repression and concentration camps in China are exaggerations aiming to stop its influence”.