Developments in Rami Makhlouf’s Case

Due to the significance of the recent videos published by Rami Makhlouf (maternal cousin of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad) on the role of the security apparatuses and the situation of the Syriatel company, Salon Syria, in partnership with Jadaliyya, has decided to provide readers with the following links highlighting the various phases that preceded these videos. These links show how the seven phases unfolded, starting with the seizure of Makhlouf’s assets to the detention of some of his employees and developments on the internal level.

The Syrian government decided to seize the assets of Rami Makhlouf. (23 December 2019).

Syrian websites revealed more instances of government seizures of companies owned by Makhlouf. (25 April 2020).

The Government Communication Establishment demanded Syriatel and MTN companies pay 234 billion Syrian pounds before 5 May 2020. (27 April 2020)

Makhlouf responded with his first video appearance on his Facebook page. (30 April 2020).

The Government Communication Establishment rejected the “confusion” and insisted Makhlouf pay the “state dues.” (30 April 2020)

MTN takes a different approach and agrees to pay before 5 May 2020. (01 May 2020).

Makhlouf appears in a second video and talks about the detention by security forces of employees in his companies. (03 May 2020).

*[Text translated from Arabic by Mazen Hakeem]

*Read about these developments in Arabic here.