Ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad sentenced to death for war crimes
A Syrian court sentenced him over "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity" during the country's 14-year civil war.
Ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has been sentenced to death in absentia for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
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A Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced al-Assad to death in absentia after convicting him over charges of "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity" during the country's 14-year civil war.
Assad, who fled Syria his family, arrived in Moscow as Islamist-led rebel forces closed in on Damascus in December 2024.
His brother Maher Assad, and his maternal cousin, Atef Najib, were also sentenced.
Najib was sentenced for leading the crackdown in the southern province of Daraa that triggered the uprising and the resulting civil war.
He stood inside a cage wearing a prisoner’s uniform as the judge read out the sentence on Tuesday.
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Najib detained while Assad and his borther fled Syria.
He became one of the highest-ranking officials in the country to go on trial.
The transitional authorities this year began trying figures from the former government, both in person and in absentia.
Assad, 60, has not been seen in public since moving to Russia.
New authorities in Syria had called for his extradition, which the Kremlin previously refused.
The deposed president, his British wife, and hundreds of relatives, along with political, military, and business cronies, are included in a list of 417 individuals and companies under UK sanctions.
The High Court was told in 2020 that Assad is believed to have a frozen account with HSBC in London with a balance of more than $51.5 million (£40 million).
This is a breaking story. More to follow.