Asma al-Assad, the British-born wife of Syria’s former dictator Bashar al-Assad, has reportedly been barred from returning to the UK for cancer treatment.
The 49-year-old, who holds dual Syrian and British citizenship, fled to Russia with her husband after rebel forces seized power in Syria earlier this month.
Reports suggest Asma is critically ill with acute myeloid leukaemia, having been diagnosed in May following her recovery from breast cancer in 2019.
Despite her deteriorating health, UK authorities have reportedly refused to renew her expired British passport, which lapsed in September 2020.
Whitehall sources stated that her travel documentation is no longer valid, and the government will not permit her to return.
Officials emphasised that decisions regarding her return could not be based solely on medical grounds.
Asma al-Assad has been under UK and EU sanctions since 2012, imposed during Syria’s brutal civil war. These measures reflect her association with the Assad regime, which has been widely condemned for human rights violations.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has previously stated that Asma al-Assad is “not welcome” in the UK. Her reported application to a court for permission to return has sparked significant debate, with government officials standing firm on their decision.
Asma’s father, Fawaz Akhras, a Harley Street cardiologist, has reportedly left his position in London to care for his daughter in Moscow. Meanwhile, the Assad family has faced increasing challenges following a recent offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces, which led to the regime’s downfall.
In related developments, members of the extended Assad family have also faced legal issues. The wife and daughter of Rifaat al-Assad, Bashar’s uncle, were arrested in Beirut while attempting to flee to Egypt with forged passports.
Rifaat, known as the “Butcher of Hama,” recently left Lebanon and has been indicted for war crimes in Switzerland.
