Syria's Former President Bashar al-Assad Sentenced to Death

A court in Syria has sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad to death for crimes he committed during the civil war. The Criminal Court in Damascus made this decision on Tuesday, finding Mr al-Assad guilty of premeditated murder, according to reports.

This ruling is the first against the ex-Syrian leader and his close associates since his rule ended in 2024. Mr al-Assad has been living in exile, reportedly in Russia, since he left office, and he was sentenced in absentia.

Judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan spoke during a court session that was broadcast live on state TV. He said, "Bashar Assad used state agencies to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity."

Alongside Mr al-Assad, his cousin Ate Najib was also sentenced to death. Najib was the former head of political security in the Deraa province of Southern Syria. He was found guilty of premeditated murder and torture. CNN reports that Mr Najib, detained after the fall of the Assad government, was one of the highest-ranking officials to face trial. He stood in a cage wearing a prison uniform as the judge announced the sentence.

The court found that the actions of Mr al-Assad's government in Deraa province in 2011 amounted to crimes against humanity. PREMIUM TIMES reports that Syria is now ruled by former rebel fighters who opposed Mr al-Assad's government.

These rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), removed Mr al-Assad from power in December 2024, ending his 24-year rule and the Assad family's long-standing control over Syria. During Mr al-Assad's time in power, over a dozen teenagers were arrested and tortured in 2011 for writing anti-government graffiti on a school wall in Daraa.

This sparked widespread protests against the harsh actions of the security forces, leading to a brutal government crackdown that escalated into a civil war lasting 14 years. After the government’s fall, efforts began to hold high-ranking officers accountable for their actions.

Human Rights Watch conducted an investigation that detailed systematic killings and torture of both children and adults by Syrian security forces in Deraa during the uprising. Some of the deadliest attacks reported by HRW include: an assault on al-Omari mosque that killed over 30 protesters in March 2011; the murder of at least 25 protesters in April 2011; and state-supported killings of 34 protesters during a protest and funeral in Izraa on April 22 and 23, 2011.

During the siege of Daraa and nearby villages, around 200 people lost their lives. After the rebels took over, Mr al-Assad and his brother, Maher al-Assad, fled to Russia where they were granted political asylum.