Syrians celebrate as court sentences absent Bashar al-Assad to death

1 hour ago The News Room

A Syrian court sentenced ousted leader Bashar al-Assad to death after a trial in absentia, convicting him of crimes including killings, torture, and arbitrary arrest during the country’s nearly 14-year war.
It was the first conviction against Assad, who was ousted in a rebel offensive in December 2024 that ended decades of his family’s iron-fisted rule over Syria, and the brutal war that killed hundreds of thousands of Syrians.

Syrians celebrated in the streets of the city of Idlib as the judge issued the same sentence in absentia to Assad’s brother Maher, who headed the fearsome Fourth Armoured Division, which was responsible for crackdowns on protests, recapturing Syrian territory on behalf of Assad and was accused of spearheading the production and trade of drugs to enrich Assad.

Assad fled the capital Damascus as rebel fighters approached nearly two years ago, and is currently believed to be in Russia, having been granted asylum.