Damascus: Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and several former officials have been sentenced to death after a court convicted them of crimes, including arbitrary detention, premeditated murder, torture and crimes against humanity, local media reported on Tuesday.
Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan said that the court convicted Assad of crimes against humanity and other offences, citing his post as the highest decision-maker and his role in issuing orders to state institutions involved in the violations. The court also sentenced Bashar al-Assad’s cousin and former political security chief in Daraa city, Atef Najib, to death, Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.
The court also announced death sentences against “fugitives” Louay Ali al-Ali, Maher Hafez al-Assad, Fahd Jassem al-Freij, Mohammad Ayman Ayoush, Qusay Ibrahim Mahyoub, Wafiq Saleh Nasser and Talal Fares al-Aysami. Al-Aryan said the court convicted the defendants of premeditated, intentional murder and torture, which caused death, SANA reported.
Former Syrian President Assad’s government collapsed on December 8, 2024 following a 12-day offensive spearheaded by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied militant groups. Bashar al-Assad along with his family flew to Moscow after his government collapsed in Syria.
After leaving Damascus in December 2024, Bashar al-Assad released a public statement, in which he mentioned about the chaotic moments leading up to his departure for Russia. He released the statement through Syrian Presidency’s Telegram account, addressing rumours surrounding al-Assad’s departure and the collapse of his government after over 13 years of civil conflict.
Bashar al-Assad said that he did not plan to depart and remained in Damascus until the early morning hours of December 8, performing his duties. When militant groups entered Damascus, he coordinated with “Russian friends” to relocate to Latakia, aiming to continue directing military operations from there.
Upon his arrival at Russia’s Hmeimim Air Base, he realised that all remaining Syrian army positions had collapsed, and that ground forces had withdrawn from the front lines, according to the statement.
As the situation worsened and the Russian base itself faced drone attacks, al-Assad said Moscow arranged an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of December 8.
He claimed that the idea of seeking asylum or relinquishing his post never arose before, saying his sole option had been to continue fighting, Xinhua news agency reported.
Bashar al-Assad rejected any notion that he would leave the people of Syria, stressing he did not agree to “deals and temptations” during the war. Al-Assad said that he continued to live in Damascus with his family even during the worst years of conflict, facing repeated threats of militant advances for more than 13 years.
He described himself as a leader who never aspired to personal power, considering his role as part of a national project supported by the Syrian people.
