A Syrian court handed down a death sentence in absentia to ex-Syrian President Bashar Assad and his brother on Tuesday for their involvement in crimes against humanity and war crimes during Syria’s 14-year conflict, resulting in approximately 500,000 deaths. This ruling marks the first sentencing against Assad or his close associates since their decades-long rule ended 20 months ago.
Judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan, in a live broadcast on state TV, stated that Bashar Assad had utilized state institutions to carry out war crimes and crimes against humanity. Additionally, Assad’s maternal cousin Atef Najib, who oversaw a brutal crackdown in Daraa leading to the uprising and subsequent civil war, was also sentenced to death in the same case.
Najib, a former Syrian army brigadier general, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in April 2011 and is one of the highest-ranking officials to face trial. He served as the head of the political security branch in Daraa under Assad in 2011, where numerous teenagers were arrested and tortured for anti-government activities, sparking widespread protests against Assad’s repressive regime.
As Assad and his brother Maher sought refuge in Russia following the government’s downfall in December 2024, the new Syrian authorities have requested Russia to extradite them. Amid tight security, Najib appeared in court wearing a prisoner’s uniform as the verdict was announced, with onlookers gathering outside the courthouse in central Damascus.
Victims of Najib’s brutal crackdown, including individuals who were teenagers at the time of the events in 2011, were present at the trial. Expressing their relief at the sentencing, they emphasized the importance of justice and accountability for the atrocities committed. Human Rights Watch has voiced opposition to the death penalty in all cases, including Najib’s, emphasizing the need for fair trial standards and a lasting justice system in Syria to address crimes from the Assad era.