Syrian court sentences ousted former president Bashar al-Assad to death

A criminal court in Damascus has issued a death sentence against former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. The court found him guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including torture, illegal detention, and the killing of civilians during the 14-year civil war that began in 2011. His brother, Maher al-Assad, and his relative, Atef Najib, a former political security chief in the Daraa province, also received death sentences in the same trial. Bashar al-Assad did not appear in court, as he has been living in exile in Russia since fleeing Syria in December 2024.

The verdict marks the first conviction against the former leader following the collapse of his government during a rebel offensive. The conflict, which spanned over a decade, led to the deaths of approximately 500,000 people and caused widespread destruction across the country. Following the ouster of the Assad family, who held power for decades, Ahmed al-Shara has assumed the presidency. The court proceedings specifically highlighted the role of the former leadership in the suppression of protests in Daraa, which served as a catalyst for the subsequent national uprising and civil war.