Chicago – August 11, 2026
A Syrian criminal court on Tuesday sentenced ousted President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, convicting him of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the country’s 14-year civil war.
Verdict Details
The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus found Assad guilty of premeditated murder, torture, arbitrary detention, and the intentional killing of civilians, including children under 15. Judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan, presiding over the live televised session, stated that Assad “used state agencies to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Co-Defendants Sentenced
Also receiving death sentences were Assad’s younger brother Maher al-Assad, who commanded the elite Fourth Division, and maternal cousin Atef Najib, former head of political security in Daraa province. Najib was convicted of leading the brutal 2011 crackdown in Daraa that sparked the uprising and subsequent civil war. Several other former military and security officials were sentenced in the same case.
Symbolic Ruling
The verdict marks the first death sentence against Assad since his family’s five-decade rule ended 20 months ago following a rebel offensive in December 2024. However, the sentence is largely symbolic, as Assad and his brother fled to Russia, where they received asylum. Russian officials have previously declined extradition requests, and Assad remains beyond the reach of Syrian authorities.
