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Mystery Surrounds Hamsho's Fate in Damascus Between House Arrest and Settlement
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Mohammad Hamsho's continued special privileges in Damascus raise questions about the new authorities' seriousness in holding former regime figures accountable and achieving justice
The legal status of Mohammad Hamsho, the former economic front for Maher Al-Assad, remains shrouded in mystery amid conflicting official statements and reports of a special settlement protecting him from accountability.
Field monitoring by "Daraj" showed active movement around Hamsho's house in Damascus's Malki district, where he was seen accompanied by security guards from the Interior Ministry of the Syrian Interim Caretaker Government.
Security sources close to military operations management revealed that the latter requested Hamsho to remain in the country, while family sources linked his presence to a Qatari role, given that his sister's children, Motaz Raslan Al-Khayyat, hold Qatari citizenship.
The Economy Minister in the caretaker government, Basel Abdul Hannan, explained that a judicial committee will determine the fate of former businessmen's assets, denying that Hamsho paid a settlement worth one billion dollars.
Hamsho emerged as an economic front for Maher Al-Assad, establishing a financial empire in telecommunications, real estate, and media, accused of financing the killing machine operated by the former regime.
Reports indicated that Hamsho's presence was imposed on the new administration through Turkish-Qatari mediation, despite being subject to US and European sanctions since 2011 that included his family, and accusations of trafficking in destroyed homes' rubble.
UN documents revealed that companies linked to Hamsho received millions of dollars from international organizations, while Lebanese investigations connected him to storing suspicious goods in drug dealer Hassan Daqou's warehouses.
The Hamsho case remains a test of credibility for the special courts planned to be established in the new Syria, and their ability to achieve justice and recover looted funds.
Levant-Agencies
