Syrian court sentences former president Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia

· Society SYR

A Damascus criminal court sentenced former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia on Tuesday, convicting him of premeditated murder and crimes against humanity linked to atrocities in Daraa province during the 2011 uprising. The ruling marked the first verdict against Assad since his overthrow in December 2024.

The court also sentenced Assad's brother Maher to death in absentia and handed down a death sentence to their cousin Atef Najib, the former head of political security in Daraa, who was present in court. The judges found that the acts constituted war crimes and crimes against humanity during Syria's 14-year civil war, which killed more than 600,000 people.

Assad fled to Moscow in exile after rebel groups toppled his regime. Transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has governed since early 2025.

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