A Syrian court has sentenced former president Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia after finding him guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during Syria’s civil war.
The verdict marks the first conviction against Assad, who fled Syria for Moscow with his family after his regime was overthrown in December 2024, ending more than five decades of Assad family rule.
Assad’s cousin Atef Najib, the former head of political security in southern Syria’s Deraa province, was also sentenced to death. Unlike Assad, Najib appeared in court wearing a prison uniform and was held inside a cage as the sentence was delivered.
Assad Convicted in Landmark Syria Trial
The court also sentenced six former military and security officials to death in absentia. Those convicted include Assad’s younger brother Maher al-Assad, who commanded the elite Fourth Division of the Syrian army before fleeing to Moscow, and former defence minister Fahd al-Freij.
Najib was convicted of several offences, including murder, the intentional killing of children under the age of 15 and torture resulting in death.
The trials are part of efforts by Syria’s interim authorities to prosecute senior figures associated with the Assad regime, which ruled the country for more than 50 years.
Deraa Uprising Sparked Syria’s War
Najib’s conviction has particular significance because Deraa is widely regarded as the birthplace of the 2011 uprising against Assad.
Protests began in the city after security forces detained and allegedly tortured teenagers accused of writing anti-government messages on walls.
The government’s violent response triggered wider demonstrations across Syria. The unrest eventually developed into a devastating civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions.
Nouha al-Masri, a member of the five-person prosecution team and a plaintiff in the case, lost her brother during the March 2011 crackdown and killings at Al-Omari Square in Deraa.
She told the BBC that the verdict represented recognition of the sacrifices and suffering endured by victims, families of the missing and detainees.
Masri said victims had waited 15 years for justice and argued that the latest verdict should mark the beginning rather than the end of accountability efforts.
Assad Remains in Russia
Despite the death sentence, it remains uncertain whether Syria’s new authorities can secure the extradition of Bashar al-Assad or his brother Maher from Russia.
An arrest warrant was issued for Bashar al-Assad last December over allegations including murder and torture.
Assad fled Syria after forces led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is now the country’s president, launched an 11-day offensive that brought down his government.
Since taking power, Syria’s new authorities have detained numerous former officials and members of the security services. However, many of the former regime’s senior figures remain outside the country’s reach, particularly those believed to be in Russia.
Previous efforts by Syrian opposition figures to prosecute Assad through courts in Western countries during his presidency did not result in convictions.
Assad’s Long Rule Ends in Exile
Assad became president in 2000 following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad, who had ruled Syria for decades.
Bashar was not initially expected to inherit the presidency. He became the likely successor after his older brother Basil died in a car accident in 1994.
As a member of Syria’s Alawite minority, Assad maintained a system in which members of the community held influential positions across the military, intelligence and security services.
His presidency became dominated by the civil war that erupted after the 2011 uprising.
The latest court ruling represents a significant moment for victims seeking accountability for alleged abuses carried out during Assad’s rule. However, with the former president still living in Russia, the practical consequences of the death sentence remain uncertain.