Najm Hamad Al Ahmad
{{short description|Syrian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Najm Hamad Al Ahmad
| native_name = {{Script/Arabic|نجم حمد الأحمد}}
| native_name_lang = ar
| image =
| imagesize =
| office = Minister of Justice
| president = Bashar al-Assad
| primeminister = {{ubl|Wael Al Halaqi | Imad Khamis}}
| predecessor = Tayseer Qala Awwad
| successor = Hisham Al Shaar
| term_start = 16 August 2012
| term_end = 29 March 2017
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1969}}
| birth_place = Aleppo
| death_date =
| death_place =
| resting_place =
| party = Ba'ath Party
| alma_mater = {{ubl|University of Damascus |Ain Shams University}}
| spouse =
| nationality = Syrian
| children =
}}
Najm Hamad Al Ahmad ({{langx|ar|نجم حمد الأحمد}}) (born 1969) is a Syrian jurist and justice minister from 2012 until 2017.
Early life and education
Ahmad was born in Aleppo in 1969.{{cite news|title=Designation of Three (3) Individuals Pursuant to Executive Order 13573 of May 18, 2011|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2013/05/24/2013-12442/designation-of-three-3-individuals-pursuant-to-executive-order-13573-of-may-18-2011-blocking|work=Federal Register|access-date=25 June 2022|date=24 May 2013}}{{cite news|title=President al-Assad Issues Two Decrees Nominating 3 Ministers, Appointing Mohammad Waheed Aqqad as Aleppo Governor|work=Syrian Arab News Agency|url=http://sana.sy/eng/21/2012/08/16/436766.htm|access-date=25 January 2013|date=16 August 2012|author=R. Raslan
|author2=F. Allafi|author3=Al Ibrahim|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515055231/http://sana.sy/eng/21/2012/08/16/436766.htm}} He hails from an Alawi family.{{cite book|title=Syria Country Study Guide|volume=1|publisher=International Business Publications|year=2013|isbn=978-1-4387-7569-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PgaWBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA85
|location=Washington, DC|page=85}} He holds a bachelor's degree in law, which he received in 1991.{{cite web|title=Minister of Justice Najem Hamad Al-Ahmad|website=egov.sy|access-date=23 August 2023
|url=https://www.egov.sy/employee/en/53/0/Minister+of+Justice+Najem+Hamad+Al-Ahmad.html}} He also obtained degrees in general law, administrative law and administrative sciences from the University of Damascus and Ain Shams University in Egypt. He also received a PhD in law from Ain Shams University.
Career
Ahmad served as the chairman of the judicial reform committee formed on 17 May 2011. He also served as deputy justice minister.{{cn|date=August 2023}} On 16 August 2012, Ahmad was appointed justice minister by the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to the cabinet headed by Wael Al Halaqi.{{cite news|title=Syria decides new government line-up|access-date=25 January 2013|work=Ahram Online|date=16 August 2012|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/50616/World/Region/Syria-decides-new-government-lineup.aspx|agency=Reuters}}{{cite news|title=Bashar Assad's brother Maher 'loses leg'|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=16 August 2012|location=London
|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9480363/Syria-Bashar-al-Assads-brother-Maher-loses-leg.html|accessdate=25 February 2013}} In July 2016 Ahmad was also named as the justice minister in the cabinet led by Imad Khamis.{{cite news|title=President Assad Issues Decree Forming New Syria Government|url=https://archive.almanar.com.lb/english/article.php?id=276714|access-date=25 June 2022|work=Al Manar|date=3 July 2016}} On 29 March 2017 Hisham Al Shaar replaced Ahmad as justice minister in a cabinet reshuffle.{{cite news|title=Syria's Assad orders replacement of 3 ministers|access-date=25 June 2022|work=Xinhua|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com//english/2017-03/29/c_136168086.htm|date=29 March 2017|location=Damascus}}
=Sanctions=
On 16 October 2012, the European Union put him along with other Syrian officials into the list of financial sanctions.{{cite web|title=Annex to notice|publisher=EU|access-date=25 January 2013|date=16 October 2012
|url=http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/treasury/customs/annexsyriasanctions16oct201.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150611181301/http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/treasury/customs/annexsyriasanctions16oct201.pdf|archive-date=11 June 2015}} The Treasury of the United Kingdom also put him among asset freeze targets the same day.{{cite web|title=Asset Freeze Targets|url=http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/syria.htm|publisher=HM Treasury|access-date=25 January 2013}}
On 16 May 2013, the United States Treasury Department designated four senior Syrian officials, including Ahmad, for backing "the government of Bashar al-Assad in suppressing people or involvement in terrorism".[http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2311380&language=en US sanctions Syrian officials, blacklists chief of extremist group] KUNA 17 May 2013{{cite web|title=Armed Conflict in Syria: Background and U.S. Response|url=https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33487.pdf|work=Congressional Research Service|access-date=14 September 2013|author=Jeremy M. Sharp|author2=Christopher M. Blanchard|date=6 September 2013}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmad, Najm Hamad}}
Category:Damascus University alumni
Category:Ain Shams University alumni
Category:Politicians from Aleppo
Category:Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region politicians