A Syrian court has sentenced former leader Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, convicting him of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the country’s civil war. The ruling was issued as Syria’s interim authorities continue legal proceedings against people linked to the Assad regime, which ruled for more than 50 years before being overthrown in December 2024. Death sentence following Assad’s flightAssad left Damascus for Moscow with his family after the collapse of his rule, ending a decades-long grip on power that began with his father. The court said he was responsible for the offences during the conflict. The same case also resulted in a death sentence for Atef Najib, Assad’s cousin and the former head of political security in the southern province of Deraa. Najib was brought before the court in a cage while the judge read out the sentence. Deraa is widely regarded as the birthplace of the uprising that began against Assad’s rule. Protest sparked by detention and alleged tortureIn March 2011, demonstrations erupted in Deraa after a group of teenagers were detained and were accused of writing anti-government graffiti. The authorities’ handling of the arrests included allegations of torture, and security forces responded with a violent crackdown. The unrest in the city quickly spread nationwide. What began as protests escalated into a civil war in which hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Interim government prosecutes former officialsEarlier this year, Syria’s interim government began trying officials connected to the former regime. Najib was described as one of the highest-ranking figures to face trial. The court convicted Najib of crimes including murder, the “intentional killing of children under 15”, and “torture leading to death”. The proceedings were among the most prominent legal actions taken since the rapid end of the Assad dynasty following a campaign led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is now Syria’s president. Since taking power, the new authorities have detained a number of former officials and security personnel. However, most senior figures from the old regime, including Assad himself, remain beyond reach because they are in Russia. Extradition remains uncertainIt remains unclear whether Syria’s new authorities can obtain Assad’s extradition from Moscow. This is not the first move against him since the fall of the regime. An arrest warrant was issued last December for Assad on charges of murder and torture. During the final years of his rule, attempts by Syrian opposition figures to pursue Assad through courts in Western countries did not result in any convictions. Join the discussion? 11 August 2026
View full article
Create an account or sign in to comment