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.