WASHINGTON — More than five years ago, an unusual whistle-blower approached Congress: a Syrian military photographer. Fleeing Damascus, he smuggled out tens of thousands of gruesome photographs documenting evidence of war crimes perpetrated by the Syrian government. A provision known as the Caesar Act — named for the photographer, code-named Caesar — is included in a giant must-pass military policy bill that the Senate is expected to pass on Tuesday, which would clear the way for an expected signature from President Trump. The Caesar Act would place additional financial restrictions not only on the government but on major parts of Syria’s economy until there is accountability for the victims of war crimes. And it would penalize private companies or governments that do business with the Syrian government — including Russia and Iran, which have been major backers of Mr. Assad.

Source: New York Times December 17, 2019 01:07 UTC