Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (Img: Pinterest)
Damascus: 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 the country’s prolonged civil war.
The verdict marks a major development in Syria’s turbulent political history, coming after more than a decade of conflict that resulted in massive loss of life and widespread destruction across the country.
According to reports, the Syrian court held Assad responsible for serious violations linked to the 14-year civil war. The conflict, which began in 2011, reportedly claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and forced millions of people to flee their homes.
The court also sentenced Assad’s maternal cousin Atef Najib to death. Najib was accused of leading the security crackdown in Syria’s southern Daraa province in 2011, an action that became one of the triggers for the uprising against Assad’s government.
Bashar al-Assad did not attend the trial because he reportedly escaped to Russia after the rebels took over Damascus in December 2024.
The fall of Assad’s regime marked an end to his more than two decades of control over Syria. With his escape, rebel forces gained entry to key governmental institutions, such as the presidential palace.
Unlike Assad, Atef Najib was present when the judge announced the sentence. Najib, a former Syrian army brigadier general, previously headed the Political Security Branch in Daraa province.
His role during the early phase of the uprising had made him one of the most controversial figures associated with the government’s response to protests.
The death sentence against Assad is being seen as a landmark moment in Syria’s post-war transition. However, the former president remains outside the country, raising questions about whether the verdict can be enforced.
The case highlights the long-running efforts to seek accountability for alleged human rights violations committed during Syria’s devastating civil war.
