A Syrian court has sentenced ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia after convicting him of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the country’s 14-year civil war. The ruling, issued by the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, marks the first conviction against the former president, who fled to Moscow with his family after his regime was overthrown in December 2024.
The court found al-Assad guilty of ordering the unlawful detention, torture, and murder of civilians, including children. According to the presiding judge, witnesses confirmed that al-Assad acted as the ultimate authority behind these crimes, utilizing the instruments of the Syrian state to execute them.
Additional Convictions and Court Proceedings
Alongside Bashar al-Assad, the court sentenced several other high-ranking former officials to death. This includes his younger brother, Maher al-Assad, who led the army’s elite Fourth Division and also fled to Russia. Former defence minister Fahd al-Freij and four other former security and military officials were also sentenced to death in absentia.
Among those convicted was Atef Najib, a maternal cousin of Bashar al-Assad and the former head of political security in the southern province of Deraa. Unlike the other defendants, Najib attended the trial and appeared in a cage wearing a striped prison uniform. He was convicted of murder, torture leading to death, and the intentional killing of children under 15.
The court found Najib guilty of leading the crackdown in Deraa that helped ignite the uprising and subsequent civil war.
Impact on Transitional Justice and Diplomacy
The sentencing triggered a nationwide wave of at least 17 peaceful public demonstrations, which reports describe as a major milestone in the post-Assad transitional justice process. Caroline Rose, Senior Director at the Soufan Center, stated that the ruling marks a new chapter in Syria’s post-regime accountability landscape
and seeks to provide closure for millions of Syrians.
However, Rose noted that the death sentences may have practical limitations. While Najib is in Syrian custody, Bashar and Maher al-Assad remain in Russia and are unlikely to be handed over by Moscow. Furthermore, Rose explained that the decision to use the death penalty will automatically restrict Syria’s ability to receive information from and cooperate with external actors like the EU and UN
due to their human rights stipulations regarding capital punishment.
Historical Context of the Conflict
The civil war, which began after a violent crackdown on protests in Deraa in March 2011, resulted in approximately half a million deaths and millions of displaced persons. Documented atrocities of the al-Assad regime include the use of chemical weapons, such as the August 2013 sarin attack on the Ghouta suburb of Damascus that killed an estimated 1,400 people. Amnesty International also documented systematic mass hangings at the Saydnaya military prison.
The regime’s survival was supported for years by external allies. Between September 2015 and December 2024, the Kremlin provided military and diplomatic support. Tehran is estimated to have spent roughly $30 billion backing the regime and deployed several thousand IRGC Quds Force personnel. Additionally, Hezbollah deployed up to 8,000 fighters to serve as a ground force for the regime.
Current Security Situation
Following the December 2024 entry of opposition fighters led by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa into Damascus, Syria has seen a shift in operational activity. Between August 7 and 13, 2026, 178 operational incidents and 20 fatalities were recorded across the country. While Syrian security forces have remained active in counter-narcotics and law-enforcement—including the dismantling of an ISIS-linked cell in Khan Arnabeh—Israeli forces have maintained 17 operations in the south, specifically in Dar’a and Quneitra, while rejecting any withdrawal from Syrian territory.
