A Syrian court has handed down death sentences in absentia to former Syrian President Bashar Assad and his younger brother for their involvement in crimes against humanity and war crimes during Syria’s 14-year conflict, which resulted in approximately half a million deaths.
The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus issued the verdict, marking the first time that Assad or his close associates have faced legal consequences since their decades-long rule came to an end 20 months ago. Judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan, in a televised court session, stated that Bashar Assad had utilized state entities to perpetrate war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Atef Najib, Assad’s maternal cousin who was found guilty of overseeing a crackdown in Daraa that triggered the revolt and subsequent civil war, also received a death sentence in the same trial. Amid heightened security measures, Najib appeared in court wearing a prisoner’s uniform as the judgment was read, while a crowd gathered outside the central Damascus courthouse.
Following the government’s collapse in December 2024, Assad and his brother Maher sought refuge in Russia and were granted political asylum. The new Syrian leadership has requested Russia to extradite the Assads for prosecution.
Najib, a former Syrian army brigadier general, who was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in April 2011, is one of the highest-ranking officials to face trial. During his tenure as head of the political security branch in Daraa under Assad in 2011, Najib was accused of overseeing the torture of detainees, including a group of teenagers detained for anti-government graffiti, which sparked massive protests against Assad’s regime.
Victims of Najib’s actions, including those who were teenagers at the time of their arrest in 2011, were present at the courthouse during the trial. They expressed satisfaction at the sentencing, with one individual stating that justice had been served after years of suffering. Maher Assad, a former commander of the Syrian military’s 4th Armored Division, has also faced allegations of involvement in various crimes.
Human Rights Watch has voiced opposition to the death penalty in all cases, including this one, emphasizing the importance of fair trial standards and the need for a robust justice system in Syria to ensure accountability for past atrocities.
