Bashar al-Assad and his close relatives sentenced to death in Syria

Bashar al-Assad and his close relatives sentenced to death in Syria

A criminal court in Damascus found former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad guilty of intentional homicide and sentenced him to death. His cousin, Atef Najib, was also sentenced to death for the crimes of intentional homicide and torture.
Najib reportedly served as the head of the Political Security Service in Daraa province in 2011. He was accused of leading the brutal crackdown on anti-government protests—events that subsequently triggered the civil war in Syria, which lasted for 14 years. Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia with his family and close associates in December 2024 after rebel forces approached Damascus. Syrian authorities requested his extradition from Russia for trial, but the Kremlin rejected the demand.
Additionally, Bashar al-Assad's brother, Maher al-Assad, was found guilty of intentional homicide and torture and was sentenced to death in absentia.