Summary
- A court in Damascus has sentenced ousted leader Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia after convicting him of war crimes, crimes against humanity, intentional murder, torture, and arbitrary arrest during the country’s civil war.
- The court handed down identical death sentences in absentia to Assad’s brother, Maher al-Assad, who commanded the Fourth Armoured Division.
- Former security official Atef Najib, a cousin of the Assads, was tried in person following his capture in early 2025 and also received a death sentence.
A court in Damascus has sentenced ousted leader Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia after convicting him of war crimes, crimes against humanity, intentional murder, torture, and arbitrary arrest during the country’s civil war.
The ruling marks the first Syrian conviction against Assad following his removal from power by opposition forces in December 2024, ending his family’s 54-year rule.
The court handed down identical death sentences in absentia to Assad’s brother, Maher al-Assad, who commanded the Fourth Armoured Division. Former security official Atef Najib, a cousin of the Assads, was tried in person following his capture in early 2025 and also received a death sentence.
Crowds gathered in Damascus and Deraa to celebrate the verdict, carrying photos of relatives killed or detained during the conflict. Assad and his brother currently reside in Russia under political asylum. Legal experts note that the capital sentence makes future extradition from foreign jurisdictions highly unlikely.
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