A Syrian court has handed former president Bashar al‑Assad a death sentence in absentia, marking the first conviction against the ousted leader since his regime collapsed in December 2024. Assad, who fled Damascus for Moscow with his family, was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during Syria’s brutal civil war a conflict that spanned more than a decade and left hundreds of thousands dead.
The ruling also targeted senior figures from Assad’s inner circle. His cousin, Atef Najib, the former head of political security in Deraa province, was sentenced to death after appearing in court wearing a striped prison uniform inside a metal cage as the verdict was read. Deraa is widely regarded as the birthplace of the uprising against Assad’s rule, sparked in March 2011 when teenagers accused of anti‑government graffiti were detained and allegedly tortured, igniting nationwide protests and a violent crackdown.
Syria’s interim government began prosecuting former regime officials earlier this year, seeking accountability after more than 50 years of Assad family rule. Najib is among the highest‑ranking figures to face trial and was convicted of multiple charges, including murder, the intentional killing of children under 15, and torture leading to death.
The court also sentenced six additional military and security officials to death in absentia, including Assad’s younger brother Maher al‑Assad, who commanded the army’s elite Fourth Division and fled to Moscow when the regime fell. Former defence minister Fahd al‑Freij was among those convicted.
The verdict marks a historic moment in Syria’s post‑Assad era a symbolic but significant step toward justice for victims of the regime’s decades‑long repression and the atrocities committed during the civil war. As the interim government continues its prosecutions, the country faces the complex task of rebuilding institutions while confronting the legacy of one of the region’s most devastating conflicts.
#tags: #Syria #Assad #WarCrimes #MiddleEast #BreakingNews
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