Syrian court sentences ousted leader Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia

Former Syrian president convicted of murder, torture and crimes against humanity after trial in Damascus following 2024 ousting

Assad fled the capital Damascus as rebel fighters approached nearly two years ago, and is currently in Moscow.

In a trial of former government officials on Tuesday, a judge handed down a death sentence to Assad over the crimes of “premeditated and intentional murder of more than one person and of children, torture, arbitrary arrest and crimes against humanity”.

Atef Najib, a security official under Assad, was also sentenced to death.