Damascus, 11 August 2026

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 devastating civil war. The ruling marks the first conviction against Assad since his regime was overthrown in December 2024, bringing an end to more than five decades of Assad family rule.

Assad did not attend the proceedings. After his government collapsed following a rapid rebel offensive, he fled Damascus with his family and was granted refuge in Moscow. His continued presence in Russia means it remains uncertain whether Syria’s new authorities will ever be able to secure his extradition and enforce the sentence.

The court also sentenced Assad’s cousin, Atef Najib, to death. Najib, who once headed political security in the southern province of Deraa, appeared in court wearing a prison uniform. He was convicted of serious crimes, including murder, the intentional killing of children under 15, and torture resulting in death.

Deraa holds particular significance in Syria’s history. The city is widely regarded as the birthplace of the 2011 uprising. Protests began after a group of teenagers were detained and allegedly tortured for writing anti-government slogans. The authorities responded with force, and the crackdown helped transform local demonstrations into a nationwide uprising that eventually became a brutal civil war. More than half a million people were killed during the conflict.

The court also handed down death sentences in absentia to six other former military and security officials, including Assad’s younger brother, Maher al-Assad, who commanded the powerful Fourth Division. Former defence minister Fahd al-Freij was among the other defendants convicted.

The verdict was met with strong emotions outside the courthouse. Hundreds of Syrians gathered carrying photographs of relatives who had been killed during the former regime’s rule. Crowds applauded, chanted and waved flags, with some describing the judgment as a long-awaited moment of justice.

For victims’ families, however, the ruling represents only the beginning. Prosecutor Nouha al-Masri, whose brother was killed during the 2011 crackdown in Deraa, said families had waited for years for accountability. She called for further trials and insisted that the new Syria should not allow those responsible for abuses to escape justice.

The authorities have also begun pursuing other alleged perpetrators. A former senior military official, Major General Akram Saloum Abdullah, has been arrested over alleged abuses at Sednaya prison, a notorious detention facility associated with torture, executions and disappearances. Another prominent suspect, Amjad Youssef, has been arrested in connection with the 2013 Tadamon massacre in Damascus, where civilians were reportedly executed by government forces.

These cases form part of a wider effort by Syria’s interim authorities to investigate crimes committed during the Assad era. The new government, led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, has pledged to hold former regime officials accountable, although questions remain about whether justice can be pursued fairly and comprehensively.

Assad came to power in 2000 following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad. Initially portrayed by some as a potential reformer, he ultimately maintained the authoritarian system established by his father. His presidency became dominated by the civil war that erupted in 2011 and the government’s violent response to opposition.

His fall in December 2024 brought an abrupt end to the Assad dynasty. The latest court ruling now represents a major symbolic step in Syria’s attempt to confront the abuses of the past and provide recognition to the many victims and families who have spent years seeking justice