A court in Damascus has sentenced former Syrian President Bashar Assad, his brother Maher Assad, and their maternal cousin Atef Najib to death. These sentences were issued for crimes against humanity and war crimes during the country’s lengthy conflict, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 500,000 people.
This marks the first time members of Assad’s regime have been sentenced since the family’s long-standing rule ended nearly 20 months ago. The verdict was delivered by Judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan and was broadcasted live on state television. The judgment cited Assad’s use of state agencies to perpetrate these crimes.
Najib, who was also found guilty, was responsible for the severe crackdown in Daraa, which triggered Syria’s civil uprising and subsequent war. During the court session, Najib was present in a defendants’ cage and wore prisoner garb as the sentence was announced. Crowds assembled outside the courthouse to hear the outcome.
Following the Syrian government’s collapse in December 2024, Assad and his brother fled to Russia, where they were granted political asylum. Syria’s new authorities have officially requested Russia to extradite them. Najib remains detained and is noted as a high-ranking official put on trial for these charges.
Maher Assad previously led the 4th Armored Division of the Syrian military. He and his division faced accusations from opposition activists of participating in acts of murder, torture, and extortion. They have also been implicated in drug trafficking and maintaining their own detention centers.