{
  "id": 549959,
  "title": "Former Syrian President Assad sentenced to death in absentia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/former-syrian-president-assad-sentenced-to-death-in-absentia",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-11T09:07:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News (US)",
    "slug": "abc-news-us",
    "url": "https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/former-syrian-president-assad-sentenced-death-absentia-135538421"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Syrian court handed down death sentences in absentia on Tuesday to former President Bashar Assad, his younger brother Maher, and Assad's maternal cousin Atef Najib. The trio were convicted of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during Syria's 14-year conflict, which claimed around half a million lives. Najib, a former brigadier general and head of the Political Security Branch in southern Syria's Daraa province, stood inside a cage wearing a prisoner's uniform as the judge read the verdict. After insurgents took over Damascus in December 2014, Assad and Maher fled to Russia. Najib, later detained, is the highest-ranking official tried in the case.",
  "summary": "A Syrian court has sentenced ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad and his younger brother to death in absentia for crimes against humanity and war crimes during Syria’s 14-year conflict that left about half a million people dead",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 12,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "Damascus court sentences Bashar Al Assad and eight others to death",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/damascus-court-sentences-bashar-al-assad-and-eight-others-to-death",
        "published": "2026-08-11T08:33:05.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Former Syrian President Assad sentenced to death in absentia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/former-syrian-president-assad-sentenced-to-death-in-absentia-550590",
        "published": "2026-08-11T08:47:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Top Stories)",
        "title": "Syria sentences Bashar Assad to death in absentia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syria-sentences-bashar-assad-to-death-in-absentia",
        "published": "2026-08-11T08:48:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "MercoPress",
        "title": "Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia for crimes against humanity",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syrian-court-sentences-bashar-al-assad-to-death-in-absentia-for",
        "published": "2026-08-11T09:21:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Ex-Syrian President Bashar Assad sentenced to death for ‘crimes against humanity’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/ex-syrian-president-bashar-assad-sentenced-to-death-for-crimes",
        "published": "2026-08-11T09:32:12.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Syria sentences absent Bashar al-Assad to death over killings, torture",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syria-sentences-absent-bashar-al-assad-to-death-over-killings-torture",
        "published": "2026-08-11T09:37:05.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Syria sentences absent Bashar al-Assad to death over killings, torture",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syria-sentences-absent-bashar-al-assad-to-death-over-killings-torture-556019",
        "published": "2026-08-11T09:46:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NPR",
        "title": "Former Syrian President Assad sentenced to death in absentia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/former-syrian-president-assad-sentenced-to-death-in-absentia-555926",
        "published": "2026-08-11T10:07:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Maverick",
        "title": "Syria sentences absent Bashar al-Assad to death over killings, torture",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syria-sentences-absent-bashar-al-assad-to-death-over-killings-torture-555791",
        "published": "2026-08-11T10:46:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Bashar al-Assad sentenced to death for war crimes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/bashar-al-assad-sentenced-to-death-for-war-crimes",
        "published": "2026-08-11T10:47:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Egypt Independent",
        "title": "Former Syrian President Assad sentenced to death in absentia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/former-syrian-president-assad-sentenced-to-death-in-absentia-570386",
        "published": "2026-08-11T12:31:08.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}