Death Sentences for Assad and Others Amid Syria’s Transition

A Syrian court has sentenced former President Bashar Assad and his younger brother to death in absentia for their involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity. These sentences were handed down by the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, marking the first legal actions against Assad and his inner circle since the end of the Assad family’s five-decade rule 20 months ago.

During a session broadcast live on state television, Judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan stated that Bashar Assad used state mechanisms to commit severe offenses during Syria’s protracted conflict. This conflict, which lasted 14 years, resulted in the deaths of approximately half a million people.

The court also sentenced Assad’s maternal cousin, Atef Najib, for his role in a crackdown in Daraa. Najib was previously a head of the Political Security Branch there. His actions in Daraa ignited an uprising that eventually escalated into a civil war.

Atef Najib, visible through a cage, listened to the verdict while wearing a prison uniform. Outside the Damascus courthouse, a crowd gathered to hear the decision. In the aftermath of the government’s collapse in December 2024, Assad and Maher sought asylum in Russia. Syria’s new authorities have requested their extradition.

Najib, sanctioned by the U.S. in 2011, is a significant figure detained and tried under the new regime. As a former brigadier general in Syria’s army, he was instrumental in the events that led to the civil conflict. His involvement in the detention and torture of young protesters in Daraa was a key factor in sparking widespread protest and subsequent repression.

During Assad’s regime, Maher Assad led the 4th Armored Division of the military. This unit faced accusations from opposition groups of engaging in various crimes, including killings and torture, as well as managing extrajudicial detention facilities.