Syria’s British-born former first lady, Asma al-Assad who was once celebrated as an advocate of women’s rights in the Middle East has fled into exile with her husband, with UK officials saying she is not welcome to London anymore.
The 49-year-old Asma, her husband, and three children have sought refuge in Moscow after rebels ousted Bashar al-Assad from power, according to Russian state news agencies, although the Kremlin has not confirmed the reports.
It is the latest blow to the shredded reputation of a woman whose glamour and charm had been seen in the past as a key asset to the Syrian government.
Asma al-Assad was born in London in 1975 and spent half her life in the UK, with her parents still living in the west of the capital city.
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Despite retaining her British citizenship, Foreign Minister David Lammy said on Monday that she was no longer welcome in the country, suggesting she may soon lose her UK passport.
“I’ve seen mentioned in the last few days, Asma Assad (is) potentially someone with UK citizenship that might attempt to come into our country, and I want it confirmed that she’s a sanctioned individual and is not welcome here in the UK,” he told parliament.
Asma al-Assad had her UK assets frozen in March 2012 amid growing protests against her husband’s rule, as part of a European sanction programme that London maintained after Brexit.
A researcher at the Chatham House think tank, Bader Mousa Al-Saif told AFP that the UK has previously stripped citizens of their nationality for joining the Islamic State group.
“If that could be happening to an unknown in an extremist camp, I think the same, if not more, warrants for the case of Asma al-Assad,” he added.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that it was “far too early” to discuss such a measure, while Minister Pat McFadden told the BBC “we have had no contact” with the former first lady.
Asma al-Assad’s reputation crumbled when she stood by her husband’s side as he cracked down on anti-government protests that erupted in 2011, turning into a full-scale civil war in June 2012.
She was heavily criticised for remaining silent during the violence and was dubbed “Marie Antoinette” and “predator in chief”.
Detractors also accused her of enriching herself through the Syria Trust for Development, a charity she founded that centralises most of the funding coming from abroad.
She and her husband also took charge of many parts of the Syrian economy using frontmen, according to news site, Syria Report.
In 2020 the United States imposed sanctions on Asma al-Assad, her parents, and two brothers, with then-secretary of State Mike Pompeo describing her as “one of Syria’s most notorious war profiteers”.