A Syrian court has issued a death sentence in absentia for former Syrian President Bashar Assad and his younger brother for their involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity during Syria’s 14-year conflict, which resulted in approximately 500,000 fatalities. This ruling marks the first legal action against Assad or his close associates since their rule ended two decades earlier.

Judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan, presiding over the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, accused Bashar Assad of orchestrating war crimes and crimes against humanity through state agencies. Additionally, Assad’s maternal cousin, Atef Najib, was also sentenced to death for his role in a crackdown in Daraa that sparked the uprising and subsequent civil war.

Amid heightened security measures, Najib, wearing a prisoner’s uniform, faced the court’s judgment in a cage as onlookers gathered outside the courthouse in central Damascus. Assad and his brother Maher sought refuge in Russia following the government’s collapse in December 2024 and have been granted political asylum. The new Syrian authorities have requested Russia to extradite the Assads.

Atef Najib, a former Syrian army brigadier general, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in April 2011 and is among the highest-ranking officials to face trial. He was in charge of the political security branch in Daraa during Assad’s tenure, where several teenagers were arrested and subjected to torture for anti-government activities, ultimately triggering mass protests against Assad’s oppressive regime.

Witnesses, including former detainees, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, indicating that justice had been served for the victims of the crackdown. Human Rights Watch cautioned against the use of the death penalty, emphasizing the importance of fair trial standards and the establishment of a lasting justice system in Syria to ensure accountability for past atrocities.