Syria sentences Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia over atrocities

On Tuesday, a Syrian court sentenced ex-leader Bashar al-Assad to death in his absence, convicting him of atrocities committed during the country's 14-year civil war. This is the first ruling of its kind under Syria's transitional leaders, who ousted Assad in December 2024. The trial took place in Damascus, where Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan found Assad guilty of "premeditated murder, intentional killing of children, torture, and deprivation of liberty" - crimes classified as "crimes against humanity and war crimes." Assad fled to Moscow after Islamist-led forces advanced on Damascus during a rapid offensive.

The court also sentenced six other former military and security officials to death, including Al-Assad's brother Maher and Fahd al-Freij, who headed the country's defence ministry in 2011. The officials were convicted of "murder, incitement to murder, torture leading to death, and repeated deprivation of liberty," also considered "crimes against humanity and war crimes."

Najib, a cousin of Assad who was arrested in January 2024, was sentenced to death for "crimes against humanity" committed while he was head of political security in Daraa province. He was accused of "murder, the intentional killing of children under 15, and torture leading to death." Najib denied the charges and showed "no remorse" during the trial.

The uprising began in Daraa in March 2011 after 15 students were arrested for writing anti-government slogans on city walls. Residents accused security forces of torturing the students, sparking a protest and subsequent bloodshed. Security personnel subsequently suppressed peaceful demonstrations using force, leading to the escalation of the uprising in other provinces.