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Syrian Court Sentences Bashar al-Assad and Atef Najib to Death for Crimes Committed During 14-Year Civil War

The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus has sentenced Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during Syria's 14-year civil war. The court also handed down a death sentence to Atef Najib, a senior security official who was widely seen as a trigger for the conflict's early abuses. While Bashar al-Assad was sentenced for his decades of rule, Atef Najib was sentenced in person after being held in detention since January 2025. Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan, who was himself sentenced to death in absentia by the previous regime, presided over the trials. The verdicts were celebrated by many Syrians as a historic milestone in transitional justice. However, some critics noted that the trials were conducted quickly and urged for more localized cases to follow. The administration of President Ahmed al-Sharaa continues to oversee the judicial process to bring perpetrators of the former regime to justice, aiming to establish a new legal framework for the country's future.

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