Syrian court sentences Assad to death in absentia

A Syrian criminal court on Tuesday sentenced ousted President Bashar al-Assad, his younger brother Maher, and their cousin Atef Najib to death, marking the first convictions against the former ruling family since its overthrow nearly two years ago.

The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus convicted Assad of "premeditated and intentional murder of more than one person and of children, torture, arbitrary arrest and crimes against humanity," Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan announced during a live broadcast of the proceedings. The judge said witness testimony established Assad's role as "the highest decision-maker" who used state institutions to carry out the crimes.cnn+3

Maher al-Assad, who commanded the Syrian army's elite Fourth Armoured Division, was also sentenced to death in absentia. The court additionally convicted four other former military and security officials in absentia, including former defense minister Fahd al-Freij and Louay al-Ali, who headed military intelligence in Daraa province in 2011.english.aawsat+2

Najib in the Dock

The only defendant physically present was Najib, a former brigadier general who headed the Political Security Branch in Daraa province. He stood inside a cage in a prisoner's uniform as the judge read out his sentence. Najib was convicted of murder, "the intentional killing of children under 15," and "torture leading to death".bbc+2

The southern city of Daraa is widely regarded as the birthplace of the 2011 uprising. In March of that year, the detention and alleged torture of teenagers accused of writing anti-government graffiti sparked protests that were met with lethal force under Najib's command, igniting a civil war that killed roughly half a million people and displaced millions more. The judge said Najib showed "no remorse".english.aawsat+2

A Verdict Beyond Reach

Assad and his brother fled to Russia after opposition forces led by Ahmed al-Sharaa swept into Damascus in December 2024, ending more than five decades of Assad family rule. Syria's new government has requested that Moscow extradite the Assads, but it remains unclear whether Russia will comply.dw+2

Syria's transitional authorities began proceedings against Assad and other former officials in April 2026. Tuesday's ruling, while largely symbolic given Assad's asylum in Moscow, places a formal death sentence on a former head of state whose regime was accused of using chemical weapons, dropping tens of thousands of barrel bombs on civilian areas, and presiding over the systematic torture and killing of detainees in government prisons.openthemagazine+2