Syrian Court Sentences Ousted President Bashar Al-Assad, Maher, Atef Najib to Death In Absentia

A Syrian court in Damascus sentenced ousted President Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher to death in absentia for crimes against humanity and war crimes during Syria’s 14-year conflict.

“Bashar Assad used state agencies to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity”

ABC News

The verdict was delivered by the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus on Tuesday, with judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan saying, "Bashar Assad used state agencies to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity."

ABC News

In the same case, the court sentenced Assad’s maternal cousin Atef Najib to death, after convicting him of overseeing a crackdown in the southern province of Daraa that led to the uprising and later the civil war.

Al Jazeera reported that Najib was sentenced alongside al-Assad and Maher al-Assad, and that the Fourth Criminal Court found that crimes committed by al-Assad’s government in Deraa province in 2011 amounted to crimes against humanity.

Euronews said the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus found al-Assad guilty of ordering the murder of civilians including children, as well as torture and unlawful detention.

The New York Times reported that Atef Najib was the only defendant present during the trial, and that Najib has the right to appeal within 30 days while the others do not because they refused to appear in court.

Radeef Mustafa, director of the accountability department at the National Commission for Transitional Justice, said the appeal timeline and refusal to appear shaped the verdicts, and the paper described celebrations inside and outside the courthouse in Damascus.

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera said Najib has been in detention in Syria since January 2025, and that he was charged with at least 10 crimes including murder, torture and responsibility for massacres.

In Damascus, judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan said Assad’s role was that of "the highest decision-maker," and Middle East Monitor reported Syrians gathered outside the Palace of Justice to celebrate the death sentences.

Human Rights Watch opposed the death penalty, with ABC News quoting Hiba Zayadin saying, "It’s cruel and irreversible, especially when a fair trial isn’t guaranteed."

The Washington Post said Syria’s new leadership, headed by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has asked for Bashar al-Assad’s extradition, while Russia has maintained relations with the new regime and has hosted Sharaa twice.

“Realistically, the sentencing will only apply to Najib, who is in Syrian custody”

Euronews

Euronews quoted Soufan Center Senior Director Caroline Rose as saying, "Realistically, the sentencing will only apply to Najib, who is in Syrian custody," while Bashar and Maher remain in Russia.

Al Jazeera reported that the trial was a test case for Syria’s transitional justice system and for the new government’s ability to hold al-Assad regime officials to account for abuses under his rule.

The Guardian said the court would pursue international legal avenues to try to prosecute the two men, but noted that Russian officials have previously declined requests to extradite its former Syrian allies.

ABC News also reported that Assad and Maher fled to Russia after the government’s fall in December 2024, and that Syria’s new rulers have asked Russia to hand the Assads over.