{
  "id": 553015,
  "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",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-11T09:21:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MercoPress",
    "slug": "mercopress",
    "url": "https://en.mercopress.com/2026/08/11/syrian-court-sentences-bashar-al-assad-to-death-in-absentia-for-crimes-against-humanity"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Damascus' criminal court on Tuesday sentenced former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia for premeditated murder, torture, arbitrary detention and crimes against humanity. The judge, Fakhr al-Din al-Uryan, also sentenced eight others to death, including al-Assad's brother Maher and Najib, the only defendant present. Najib, a former brigadier general, was found guilty of ordering the detention and torture of minors who painted anti-government slogans on a school wall, an incident that sparked the uprising. The court found al-Assad guilty of the intentional killing of more than one person, including children, as well as torture and arbitrary detention. Najib was captured in Latakia in 2025, and the other six defendants were sentenced for premeditated murder and torture resulting in death. The war, which lasted 14 years and claimed half a million lives, marked the beginning of the transitional justice phase, with forces led by current interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa in control. However, enforcement of the sentence is unfeasible while al-Assad and his brother remain in Russia.",
  "summary": "A criminal court in Damascus sentenced former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia on Tuesday for premeditated murder, torture, arbitrary detention and crimes against humanity. Assad was ousted in December 2024 and is living in exile in Moscow. It is the first public sentence handed down against the man who governed Syria for more than two decades.",
  "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": "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."
}