{
  "id": 557455,
  "title": "Syria sentences absent al-Assad to death over killings, torture",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syria-sentences-absent-al-assad-to-death-over-killings-torture",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-11T10:20:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SABC News",
    "slug": "sabc-news",
    "url": "https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/syria-sentences-absent-bashar-al-assad-to-death-over-killings-torture/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Tuesday, a Syrian court sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, convicting him of war crimes including killings, torture, and arbitrary arrests during the country's 14-year conflict. This marked the first conviction against Assad, who was ousted in a rebel offensive in December 2024, ending decades of his family's authoritarian regime. Assad, who fled Damascus nearly two years ago, is currently in Moscow. The trial also saw Atef Najib, a security official under Assad, sentenced to death. Born in 1965, Assad assumed the presidency in 2000 following his father Hafez's death. His rule was characterized by the country's civil war, which erupted in 2011 following the Arab Spring's democratic uprisings. Assad maintained control of the Alawite sect, a minority in Syria's predominantly Sunni Muslim population, and kept Syria as an ally of Iran, an adversary of Israel and the United States.",
  "summary": "Assad fled the capital Damascus as rebel fighters approached nearly two years ago",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 12,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Syria sentences Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia over atrocities",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syria-sentences-bashar-al-assad-to-death-in-absentia-over-atrocities-556084",
        "published": "2026-08-11T10:22:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Syria sentences Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia over atrocities",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syria-sentences-bashar-al-assad-to-death-in-absentia-over-atrocities",
        "published": "2026-08-11T10:30:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Le Monde English",
        "title": "Syria sentences Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia over atrocities",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syria-sentences-bashar-al-assad-to-death-in-absentia-over-atrocities-561215",
        "published": "2026-08-11T10:44:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death for murder, torture, crimes against humanity",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syrian-court-sentences-bashar-al-assad-to-death-for-murder-torture",
        "published": "2026-08-11T10:46:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Kyiv Post",
        "title": "Syria Sentences Bashar al-Assad to Death in Absentia Over Atrocities",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syria-sentences-bashar-al-assad-to-death-in-absentia-over-atrocities-558336",
        "published": "2026-08-11T10:50:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ProPakistani",
        "title": "Former Syria President Bashar Al-Assad Sentenced to Death",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/former-syria-president-bashar-al-assad-sentenced-to-death",
        "published": "2026-08-11T11:29:12.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Tempo.co English",
        "title": "Syria's Ex-President Bashar al-Assad Sentenced to Death in Absentia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syrias-ex-president-bashar-al-assad-sentenced-to-death-in-absentia",
        "published": "2026-08-11T12:16:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Live Mint",
        "title": "Who is Atef Najib, the ex-Syrian security official sentenced to death with Bashar al-Assad?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/who-is-atef-najib-the-ex-syrian-security-official-sentenced-to-death",
        "published": "2026-08-11T13:10:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "Syrian court sentences ex-president Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia for war crimes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syrian-court-sentences-ex-president-bashar-al-assad-to-death-in",
        "published": "2026-08-11T14:19:21.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Syria sentences Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia over atrocities",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syria-sentences-bashar-al-assad-to-death-in-absentia-over-atrocities-577595",
        "published": "2026-08-11T15:46:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "Syria sentences Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia over atrocities",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/syria-sentences-bashar-al-assad-to-death-in-absentia-over-atrocities-584458",
        "published": "2026-08-11T16:15:51.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}