Revealed On 11 Aug 2026
Syria’s ex-president Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher al-Assad and cousin Atef Najib have been sentenced to demise after being convicted of crimes throughout the nation’s civil conflict.
The Legal Courtroom in Damascus on Tuesday discovered Bashar al-Assad, who now lives in exile in Russia, responsible of premeditated homicide, torture and crimes towards humanity, and sentenced him to demise in absentia.
The courtroom additionally sentenced his youthful brother Maher al-Assad, additionally now dwelling in Russia, to demise in absentia for premediated homicide and torture.
Atef Najib, the previous head of political safety in southern Syria’s Deraa province who was detained by Syrian authorities in January final yr, was sentenced to demise for “crimes towards humanity”.
Najib, who led a crackdown on protesters in Deraa in 2011 that led to the rebellion and later the civil conflict, stood inside a cage carrying a prisoner’s uniform because the decide learn the sentence.
His crimes embrace homicide, “the intentional killing of kids underneath 15” and “torture resulting in demise”, based on the courtroom.
Ruling bringing Syrians ‘plenty of aid’
The ruling towards al-Assad and his relations is the primary underneath the transitional authorities who this yr started attempting figures from the previous authorities.
Choose Al-Aryan, who addressed the courtroom, stated witness testimony established the previous Syrian chief’s function within the crimes as “the very best decision-maker,” and that he had used state establishments to facilitate their fee
Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto, reporting from the Syrian capital Damascus, stated at the moment’s ruling “goes to convey plenty of aid to the Syrian folks”, contributing to their “therapeutic course of”.
“That is one thing they’ve waited for a very long time,” stated Hitto. “They need to see these people who tortured their youngsters, displaced them from their houses and destroyed their communities be held to account for these crimes.”
Hitto stated the decision would additionally set a powerful authorized precedent for others accused of crimes underneath al-Assad’s rule.
“Individuals throughout Syrian cities are on the lookout for justice, not only for al-Assad, however for the executioners,” stated Al Jazeera’s Osama bin Javaid.
