11 August,2026 06:59 PM IST | Damascus | mid-day online correspondent
Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. PIC/AFP
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 the court convicted Assad of crimes against humanity and other offences, citing his position as the highest decision-maker and his role in issuing orders to state institutions involved in the violations, news agency IANS reported. The court also sentenced Assad's cousin and former political security chief in Daraa city, Atef Najib, to death, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.
Further, the court 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 and intentional murder and torture that resulted in death, SANA reported.
Assad's government collapsed on December 8, 2024, following a 12-day offensive spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied militant groups. Bashar al-Assad and his family flew to Moscow after the collapse of his government.
After leaving Damascus in December 2024, Assad released a public statement addressing rumours surrounding his departure for Russia and the collapse of his government after more than 13 years of civil conflict. The statement was released through the Syrian Presidency's Telegram account.
Assad said he did not plan to leave Syria and remained in Damascus until the early morning hours of December 8, carrying out his duties. When militant groups entered Damascus, he coordinated with "Russian friends" to relocate to Latakia, with the aim of continuing to direct military operations from there.
According to the statement, after arriving at Russia's Hmeimim Air Base, Assad realised that all remaining Syrian army positions had collapsed and ground forces had withdrawn from the front lines.
As the situation worsened and the Russian base itself came under drone attacks, 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 had never arisen, saying his sole option had been to continue fighting, Xinhua news agency reported.
Assad rejected any suggestion that he would abandon the people of Syria, stressing that he did not agree to "deals and temptations" during the war. He said he continued to live in Damascus with his family even during the worst years of the conflict, facing repeated threats from advancing militant groups for more than 13 years.
He described himself as a leader who never aspired to personal power and viewed his role as part of a national project supported by the Syrian people.
(With IANS inputs)
