Syria's ousted President Bashar-al-Assad sentenced to death for crimes against humanity
PTC News Desk: Syria's former President Bashar-al-Assad has been sentenced to death in absentia by a Syrian court in Damascus after being convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the country’s civil war that let about half a million people dead. His younger brother Maher Al-Assad, a former leader in the Syrian military, has also been awarded the death sentence.
A Syrian court has sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad to death, marking the first death sentence against him by the country's transitional authorities since his government was overthrown in December 2024.
Assad fled to Moscow with his family after Islamist-led rebel forces captured Damascus, bringing an end to his 24-year rule. The new transitional government was formed under the leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The court also sentenced Atef Najib, Assad's cousin and former head of the Political Security Directorate in the southern province of Deraa, to death. Najib appeared in court and was convicted of premeditated murder and torture.
Assad became president in 2000, taking over from his father, Hafez al-Assad, who had ruled Syria for nearly 30 years. Bashar al-Assad remained in power until his removal in December 2024.
The Syrian civil war began in 2011 after security forces violently suppressed anti-government protests in Deraa. The unrest soon developed into a major conflict involving government forces, opposition groups and foreign countries. The war resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of people being displaced.
During the conflict, Assad's government faced serious accusations of torture, unlawful killings, forced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and attacks on civilians. UN investigators and international human rights organisations documented alleged abuses by government forces, as well as violations by opposition groups and other parties.
The Syrian government was also accused of using chemical weapons. Investigations by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and UN-linked bodies blamed Syrian government forces for several chemical attacks, including the 2013 sarin gas attack in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus.
International arrest warrants were later issued against Assad over allegations that he was involved in crimes against humanity linked to chemical attacks.
- With inputs from agencies
