Belgian court trials three companies provided the Assad regime with chemicals

ARK News: The criminal court of Antwerp on Thursday ordered three Belgian companies to pay a sum of €750,000 euros in damages over the export of chemicals to the Assad regime, which is used in attacks claiming the lives of thousands of innocent civilians. Prosecutors said the chemicals could potentially be used in producing the nerve gas Sarin.

Belgian news outlet "7sur7' said that a lawsuit was brought against the three firms for exporting 24 shipments of chemicals between May 2014 and December 2016 in which 168 tons of Isopropanol were also exported to Syria and Lebanon.

In addition to the fine, Belgian prosecutors had asked the court to sentence heads of two companies to 18 months in prison.

In its latest report, the UN Commission of Inquiry said that the Assad regime was responsible for dozens of chemical attacks, including the deadly attacks in Douma and Khan Sheikhoun.

The three companies face other charges of failing to apply for necessary permits which allow for the regulated export of Isopropanol.

The verdict in the case is expected to be made during a court hearing in late January.

The United Nations International Commission of Inquiry (UNIIIC) has identified in its last report, the regime's responsibility for dozens of chemical attacks, including the last strikes in Duma and Khan Sheikhoun last year.

The National Coalition for the forces of the revolution and the Syrian opposition stressed on the need to hold accountable the Assad regime and all officials of the use of chemical weapons against civilians And stressed the need to punish all companies that helped it in the production of chemical weapons, which killed thousands.

The European Union began to impose economic sanctions on the Assad regime, since 2011 and extended until 2018, and the sanctions included 244 individuals, 67 companies, and commercial, banking, and economic entities.

Sources: Agencies

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