A Syrian court has pronounced former president Bashar al‑Assad as guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the country’s long civil war, and sentenced him to death in his absence.
Assad left Damascus for Moscow with his family after the 2024 regime change, where he has remained in exile since his five‑decade rule concluded.
The same court also condemned Atef Najib, a former security chief in Deraa who is related to the former president, to death. Najib had to wait in a cage while the judge announced his sentence in the courtroom.
In 2011, teenagers accused of graffiti were detained and allegedly tortured in Deraa, sparking protests that escalated into a nationwide uprising. The crackdown was followed by widespread demonstrations that turned into a brutal civil war, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives.
Since the new interim government took office, it has begun trying officials associated with the old regime, the first of many trials for former regime figures.
Najib’s convictions include murder, intentional killing of children under fifteen and torture leading to death. Those verdicts are the highest‑ranking cases met by the new administration.
It is still unclear whether Syria can secure Najib’s extradition from Moscow, though the death sentence marks a rare step toward justice for the war its victims.
This move follows an earlier arrest warrant issued against Assad in December of last year on charges of murder and torture. The interim government, led by president Ahmed al‑Sharaa, has seized power following a rapid 11‑day campaign that dismantled the Assad dynasty while the former leader fled abroad.
