Assad-era Syrian official jailed for 60 years by U.S. court

A former Syrian government official who headed the Damascus ​Central Prison under ousted President Bashar al-Assad and was convicted of torture by ‌a U.S. federal jury has been sentenced to 60 years ​in prison by a U.S. judge, federal prosecutors said.

Samir ⁠Ousman Alsheikh, 74, was charged in 2024 and convicted in March this year on three counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture for ‌his involvement in the abuse of prisoners at Adra Prison in Damascus.

Alsheikh was also convicted of lying to U.S. ‌immigration authorities about his commission of the crimes, fraudulently obtaining a ‌green ⁠card and attempting to naturalise as a U.S. citizen, the ⁠U.S. Department of Justice said.

Thursday’s (September 18) sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Hernan Vera in Los Angeles.