syria

The Assad regime mobilized a network of informants and a set of laws to monopolize the possession of foreign currencies, tracking down and arresting anyone dealing in U.S. dollars or other foreign currencies. This followed Decree No. 3 of 2020, which criminalized transactions in any currency other than the Syrian pound. The decree significantly strengthened the regime’s security grip on individuals holding foreign currency, forcing them into a stark choice: either share their money with regime authorities or face security persecution and arrest.