The head of Syria's committee for combating illicit enrichment, Basel Al-Suwaidan, has revealed that settlements reached with prominent businessmen accused of ties with former president Bashar Al-Assad had returned to the state treasury as assets belonging to the Syrian people.

 

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Suwaidan said that the committee had received hundreds of voluntary disclosure requests, leading to many settlements, while others were rejected for not meeting the criteria.

 

"How does the committee define the limits of illicit gains?" Asharq Al-Awsat asked him. He explained that illicit enrichment is "a legal concept inherently tied to individuals, defined as any unjustified increase in financial wealth that is disproportionate to the owner's known legitimate resources, and for which they are unable to provide a legal and convincing explanation of its source."

 

This includes companies, real estate and stocks.

 

Al-Suwaidan said that despite the committee's work being linked to individuals, it adopts objective criteria for selecting cases. He stressed that accountability is based on financial evidence, not on position or status.

 

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa issued Presidential Decree No. 13 on May 4, 2025, concerning the formation of the committee to protect public funds, combat illicit gains in all its forms, and recover illegal funds.

 

On December 28, 2025, the committee launched the voluntary disclosure program for a period of six months, along with its official website, which includes services for reporting, voluntary disclosure, inquiries, and communication with the committee.

 

Al-Suwaidan clarified that the program represents one of the main tools adopted by the committee within its internal operating system, and it is an integral part of legal work, not an exceptional measure.

 

The program is defined as "a mechanism that allows individuals whose funds are linked to suspicions of illicit gains to voluntarily disclose them, subjecting them to comprehensive financial and legal scrutiny, leading to an organized settlement through which funds or assets to be recovered for the state are determined."

 

He noted that the adoption of this mechanism was based on UN recommendations.

 

According to Al-Suwaidan, past experiences have shown that relying exclusively on traditional judicial paths can be time-consuming, leading to asset freezes or loss, whereas voluntary disclosure allows for faster and more efficient recovery.

 

Syrian authorities reached in mid-April a settlement with Wassim Qattan and his brothers, as well as Naim Al-Jarrah, as part of the voluntary disclosure requests submitted to the committee.

 

A settlement has also been reached with businessman Samer Al-Foz. Another settlement involved businessman Tarif Al-Akhras, in line with adopted official procedures.

 

However, Mohammad Hamsho, who was a prominent businessman accused of ties to Assad's rule and of profiting from the country's war, was the first to reach a formal settlement with the Syrian authorities.

 

Al-Suwaidan stressed, however, that the voluntary disclosure program does not exonerate suspects. It rather works in parallel with the judicial path.

 

He explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that the primary goal is to reduce the time taken by litigation procedures and alleviate the burden on the Syrian judiciary.

 

Al-Suwaidan revealed that the number of cases undergoing examination is estimated in the thousands.