Ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad sentenced to death in absentia
A Syrian court has sentenced ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Assad, who fled to Moscow in 2024, was convicted alongside his cousin Atef Najib for their roles in the violent crackdown that sparked the Syrian civil war.
Why it matters
This verdict marks a significant legal milestone in the post-Assad era, though the new government faces challenges in enforcing the sentence due to Assad's current refuge in Russia.
Image source, GettyImages By Samantha Granville and Alys Davies Published 18 minutes ago A Syrian court has sentenced ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, after convicting him of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the country's civil war.
Assad fled from Damascus to Moscow with his family after his regime was overthrown in December 2024, ending his family's five-decade grip on power.
In the same case, the court also sentenced to death Atef Najib, Assad's cousin and the former head of political security in southern Syria's Deraa province. He appeared inside a cage in the courtroom as the judge read out his sentence.
Deraa is widely seen as the birthplace of the uprising against Assad's rule.
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