BRUSSELS: The European Union announced Friday it was ending sanctions imposed in 2011 against nine Egyptians, including the family of former leader Hosni Mubarak, over the alleged stealing of state funds.
"Restrictive measures were initially adopted in 2011 and aimed notably at assisting the Egyptian authorities with the recovery of misappropriated state assets," the member states said in a statement. "Following the most recent review of the nine listings still in force, the Council concluded that the regime had served its purpose."
The EU slapped asset freezes on senior figures, including Mubarak, his wife, two sons and their wives, after he was toppled in the Arab Spring uprisings following thirty years in charge.
The deposed president died in February of last year at the age of 91. The sanctions - which were reviewed annually - included asset freezes on holdings located in the EU and a ban on any citizens or entities from the 27-nation bloc making funding available to those on the blacklist. EU member countries imposed the sanctions on Mubarak and his family in March 2011 based on lawsuits filed against them in Egypt for alleged embezzlement of state funds.
Mubarak and his family had challenged the punitive measures in court. Egypt suffered years of instability in the wake of Mubarak's ouster. Islamist president Mohamed Morsi took power in 2012 before the military toppled him in 2013 following mass protests against Morsi's rule. Former military chief Abdel Fatah al-Sisi became president later that year.
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