A Syrian court has handed down a death sentence in absentia to former Syrian President Bashar Assad and his younger brother for their involvement in crimes against humanity and war crimes during Syria’s 14-year conflict, which resulted in approximately half a million deaths.
The verdict, delivered at the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, marks the first time that Assad or any members of his inner circle have faced such severe consequences following the end of their five-decade reign 20 months ago. Judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan stated that Bashar Assad utilized state agencies to perpetrate war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Atef Najib, Assad’s maternal cousin, was also sentenced to death in the same trial for his role in overseeing a crackdown in the province of Daraa that sparked the initial uprising and subsequent civil war. The sentencing took place amidst tight security measures, with Najib appearing in a prisoner’s uniform inside a cage as the judge announced the decision.
Following the fall of the Assad government in December 2024, Assad and his brother Maher sought refuge in Russia, where they were granted political asylum. The new Syrian leadership has requested Russia to extradite the Assads back to Syria.
Atef Najib, a former Syrian army brigadier general, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in April 2011 and later detained. He is one of the highest-ranking officials to be brought to trial and is accused of overseeing the torture of prisoners during his tenure as head of the political security branch in Daraa province.
The court heard testimonies from some of Najib’s victims, including individuals who were teenagers at the time of their detention in 2011. The sentencing was met with mixed emotions, with one individual expressing relief that justice had been served, while another voiced a desire for Bashar Assad to also face a similar fate.
Human Rights Watch has raised concerns about the death penalty and emphasized the importance of fair trial standards in the appeals process. The organization highlighted the need for a robust and lasting justice system in Syria to ensure true accountability for crimes committed during the Assad era.