Bashar al-Assad Sentenced to Death in Syria
A Syrian court has sentenced ousted President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia after convicting him of crimes including murder, torture, arbitrary arrest and crimes against humanity committed during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war. The ruling marks the first conviction against Assad since his government collapsed in December 2024.
Bashar al-Assad Sentenced to Death
The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus handed down the death sentence on Tuesday as part of proceedings against senior figures from the former Syrian government.
Assad was convicted over premeditated killings, including the deaths of children, as well as torture, arbitrary detention and crimes against humanity. His younger brother Maher al-Assad, a former commander of Syria’s powerful 4th Armoured Division, was also sentenced to death in absentia.
Atef Najib Also Gets Death Sentence
Former security official Atef Najib, Assad’s cousin and a key figure in the 2011 crackdown in Daraa, was also sentenced to death.
Najib previously headed the Political Security Branch in Daraa, where teenagers were arrested and tortured after writing anti-government graffiti. The incident helped trigger nationwide protests that later developed into Syria’s civil war.
Assad Remains in Russia
Bashar and Maher al-Assad fled Syria for Russia after rebel forces captured Damascus in December 2024, ending more than five decades of Assad family rule.
Both remain outside Syria, meaning the sentences cannot currently be carried out unless they are returned to Syrian custody. Syria’s new authorities have sought their handover as part of efforts to prosecute senior figures from the former government.
