A Syrian court has sentenced ousted former President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, following a trial over crimes allegedly committed during the country’s nearly 14-year civil war.
According to Reuters, the court convicted Assad of premeditated murder, torture, arbitrary detention and crimes against humanity, including allegations involving the killing of children during the conflict.
The court also sentenced former Assad-era security official Atef Najib to death. Najib, who headed political security in southern Syria’s Daraa province, was accused of playing a central role in the crackdown on protesters in 2011, including killings, torture and arbitrary detention.
Assad was ousted in December 2024 after rebel forces captured Damascus and ended his family’s decades-long rule. He subsequently fled Syria and is currently in Russia, meaning he was not present when the court announced the verdict.
Bashar al-Assad became president in 2000 following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad. His rule was challenged by anti-government protests in 2011, which escalated into a devastating civil war involving widespread violence, displacement and allegations of serious human rights abuses.
The verdict marks a significant development in Syria’s efforts to hold senior figures from the former Assad government accountable for alleged crimes committed during the conflict.
