Bashar al-Assad sentenced to death in absentia

A Syrian court sentenced former ruler Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia on Tuesday after convicting him of crimes against humanity and war crimes over atrocities committed during Syria's nearly 14-year civil war.

At a court in Damascus, Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan said Assad was convicted of crimes including premeditated murder, the intentional killing of more than one person, the intentional killing of children under 15, torture, torture leading to death and repeated deprivation of liberty.

The ruling is the first of its kind under Syria's transitional leaders, who ousted Assad in December 2024 and have pledged justice and accountability for crimes committed under his rule. Assad fled to Moscow as Islamist-led forces closed in on Damascus.

The court also sentenced six former military and security officials in absentia to death, including Assad's brother Maher al-Assad, who ran the army's elite Fourth Division, former defence minister Fahd al-Freij and Louay al-Ali, who headed military intelligence in Daraa province in 2011.

Former security official Atif Najib, Assad's cousin and the only defendant in the dock, was also sentenced to death. The court convicted him of crimes including murder, the intentional killing of children under 15 and torture leading to death, saying the acts attributed to him were crimes against humanity.

Syria began proceedings in April against Assad and other officials accused in person and in absentia of atrocities during the civil war. More than half a million people were killed and millions were displaced during the conflict, while tens of thousands disappeared, many into Syria's prison system.

Syria's uprising began in Daraa in March 2011 after 15 students were arrested for allegedly writing anti-government slogans on city walls. Residents said the students were tortured, leading to a protest demanding their release that ended in bloodshed.