Syria court sentences ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia
The court convicted Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted in December 2024, over charges of "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity" during the Syrian civil war.
On Tuesday, a Syrian court sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, according to AFP. Convicted of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Syrian civil war, Assad had fled to Moscow with his family as Islamist-led forces approached Damascus. Judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan stated that Assad had used state agencies to commit these crimes.
The court also sentenced Atef Najib, a cousin of Assad and former head of political security in the southern province of Deraa, to death. Najib was accused of overseeing the torture of detainees, including children, and being responsible for multiple deaths during the conflict. This ruling marks the first under the transitional authorities, which began trying former government officials this year, both in person and in absentia.
Najib, detained and wearing a prisoner's uniform, stood inside a cage as the sentence was read. Assad's rule began in 2000 after his father's death and ended in December 2024 when his government collapsed.
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