LUXEMBOURG — A European court on Wednesday upheld EU sanctions against the sister of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, finding that her strong family ties justified the decision. Bushra Al-Assad, also the widow of Syria’s former deputy defence chief Assef Shawkat, had challenged her inclusion in the EU sanctions list, arguing she was a “housewife” with no role in the regime. However, the Court of Justice of the European Union, second only to the European Court of Justice, ruled that as Assad’s sister she was linked to the regime, “particularly given the existence of a tradition of family management of power” in Syria. Bushra was included on the list of people affected by EU sanctions against Syria, which include the freezing of assets and a ban on all travel in EU member states. — AFP