President Obama's administration imposed sanctions on Wednesday on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and six officials from his government as the United States tries to pressure Syria into stopping violence against anti-government protests.

The sanctions come just the day before the President is scheduled to make a major speech on uprisings in the Middle East. Obama approved the sanctions because he says Assad's government has committed several human rights crimes, leaving at least 700 civilians dead, according to Syrian activists.

From The Washington Post:

“President al-Assad and his regime must immediately end the use of violence, answer the calls of the Syrian people for a more representative government, and embark upon the path of meaningful democratic reform,” said David S. Cohen, the Treasury Department’s acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.

The executive order signed by Obama accuses Assad and six top government officials of complicity in human rights abuses and essentially freezes all U.S. properties owned or partly owned by the them.

The others named in the order include Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Shara, Prime Minister Adel Safar, Interior Minister Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar, Defense Minister Ali Habib Mahmoud and two intelligence chiefs: Abdul Fatah Qudsiya, the head of military intelligence, and Mohammed Dib Zaitoun, director of the Political Security Directorate.

Switzerland also announced on Wednesday they would be imposing travel bans on Syrian officials, but not President Assad. The 13 top government officials are also getting all assets frozen in any Swiss banks, in accordance with the EU's decision last week.

"Any move by the international community may help the Syrian people in continuing their uprising," Opposition Leader Haitham al-Maleh said.