France to Strip Bashar Al-Assad of Prestigious "Legion of Honour" Medal

Foreign recipients of France’s highest honour to remain in the shadows

Paris, MINA — France is undertaking procedures to strip Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad of the prestigious “Legion of Honour” medal, KUNA reported, citing the confirmation from the Elysee Palace Monday.

Al-Assad received the Legion of Honour recognition, a medal reserved for those who have made exceptional achievements, one year after he was elected president of Syria in the year 2000 in a contested election where opposition parties were blocked.

He has been to France on a number of occasions, notably participating as guest of honour at the Bastille Day military parade in 2008, after an invitation by President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The Syrian leader also came on a second visit to Paris in December of 2008 under Sarkozy.

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Current president, Emmanuel Macron, has promised to review the list of recipients of the Legion of Honour and has already withdrawn the medal from people deemed unsuitable.

Prominently among these was Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein who has been accused of sexual harassment and other crimes by a number of actresses in Hollywood and elsewhere. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj IslamicNews Agency (MINA)