A Damascus court sentenced former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia on Tuesday for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the civil war. His brother, Maher al-Assad, and several former military and security officials were also sentenced to death, marking the first convictions against members of the former regime since its fall.
Bashar al-Assad was found guilty of premeditated murder, intentional killing, torture leading to death, and deprivation of liberty. The judgment was delivered while the former president, who was ousted in December 2024, is in Russia, where he sought refuge after Damascus was taken over by Islamist-led forces.
The trial, which opened in April, took place in his absence. The court also sentenced Maher al-Assad, who led an elite division of the Syrian army, as well as former Defense Minister Fahd al-Freij and Louay al-Ali, former head of military intelligence in Deraa province, in absentia.
Atef Najib, a former political security official in Deraa and the only defendant to appear in court, was also sentenced to death for crimes against humanity. He was specifically accused of participating in the crackdown on the first anti-government protests in 2011.
The Syrian civil war erupted in 2011 following the suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations during the Arab Spring. The conflict resulted in over half a million deaths and the displacement of millions, while tens of thousands remain missing, particularly in prisons controlled by the former regime.
Captured & Published at: 2026-08-11 17:38:40 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://2424.mg/syrie-bachar-al-assad-condamne-a-mort-par-contumace-pour-crimes-de-guerre/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=syrie-bachar-al-assad-condamne-a-mort-par-contumace-pour-crimes-de-guerre