{
  "id": 550940,
  "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",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-11T09:37:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2026/08/1508954/syria-sentences-absent-bashar-al-assad-death-over-killings-torture"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Damascus, Syria witnessed a shocking verdict on Tuesday as an absent former leader, Bashar al-Assad, was sentenced to death. The court convicted him of heinous crimes including premeditated murder of multiple individuals, including children, torture, arbitrary arrest, and heinous acts against humanity. This was the first-ever conviction against Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly a quarter of a century until a rebel offensive ousted him in December 2024, ending his family's tyrannical rule. Currently residing in Moscow, Assad was born in 1965 and assumed presidency in 2000 after his father's demise. His regime, marked by the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, was characterized by a devastating civil war that erupted when Syrians rallied for democracy, facing relentless suppression by Assad's forces.",
  "summary": "DAMASCUS: A Syrian court sentenced ousted leader Bashar al-Assad to death on Tuesday after a trial in absentia, convicting him of crimes including killings, torture, and arbitrary arrest during the country’s nearly 14-year war.",
  "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": "ABC News (US)",
        "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",
        "published": "2026-08-11T09:07:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "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": "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."
}