{
  "id": 8176709,
  "title": "Assad-era Syrian official convicted of torture, jailed for 60 years by US court",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/assad-era-syrian-official-convicted-of-torture-jailed-for-60-years-by",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-18T05:16:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/international/article-909023"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Samir Ousman Alsheikh, a former Syrian government official who oversaw the Damascus Central Prison during the Assad regime, has been sentenced to 60 years in a US federal prison for his role in torturing prisoners. The 74-year-old was convicted in March on charges of conspiracy to commit torture and three counts of torture, as well as lying to US immigration authorities about his involvement in the crimes. Alsheikh, accused of ordering subordinates to inflict physical and mental suffering on detainees to suppress opposition to Assad's rule, was also convicted of attempting to naturalize as a US citizen fraudulently.\n\nThe sentencing, handed down by US District Judge Hernan Vera in Los Angeles on Thursday, marks the highest-ranking former member of Assad's government to be tried and convicted outside Syria. Alsheikh's legal team had requested a five-year sentence, but he maintained his innocence during the trial. Syrian rebels ended over 50 years of Assad family rule in late 2024, following a swift military campaign that ended a decade-long civil war that displaced hundreds of thousands and left much of the country in ruins. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who assumed power after Assad's removal, has since been working to improve relations with the West.",
  "summary": "Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 74, was charged in 2024 and convicted in March on one count of conspiracy to commit torture and three counts of torture for his involvement in the abuse of prisoners.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Syrian court hands down death sentence and jail terms for coastal sectarian violence",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/syrian-court-hands-down-death-sentence-and-jail-terms-for-coastal",
        "published": "2026-09-17T11:13:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Syrian court sentences three linked to coastal violence",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/syrian-court-sentences-three-linked-to-coastal-violence",
        "published": "2026-09-17T12:31:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Qatar Tribune",
        "title": "Syrian court sentences three linked to coastal violence",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/syrian-court-sentences-three-linked-to-coastal-violence-8115737",
        "published": "2026-09-17T21:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Assad-era Syrian official jailed for 60 years by US court",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/assad-era-syrian-official-jailed-for-60-years-by-us-court",
        "published": "2026-09-18T00:46:30.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}