DAMASCUS – A Syrian court has sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia. The ruling marks a major legal development after his government collapsed in 2024.
The Damascus court found Assad responsible for serious crimes committed during Syria’s long conflict. The charges included killings, torture, arbitrary arrests and crimes against humanity.
Assad was not present during the proceedings. He fled Syria after rebel forces captured Damascus in December 2024.
Russia later granted the former Syrian president asylum. His location outside Syria means the death sentence may be difficult to enforce.
The court also sentenced Assad’s younger brother, Maher al-Assad, to death. Former security official Atef Najib received the same punishment.
The verdict is the first conviction of Bashar al-Assad by a Syrian court. It comes after years of demands for accountability over abuses during his rule.
For families of victims, the ruling carries significant symbolic importance. It formally places the former president at the centre of a criminal case.
The court held him responsible for abuses carried out under his government. However, the sentence may never be physically carried out.
Bashar al-Assad ruled Syria for almost 25 years. He took power in 2000 after the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad.
Before entering politics, Bashar trained as an ophthalmologist. He also spent time studying in Britain.
He was not originally expected to inherit the presidency. His elder brother Bassel had been prepared to succeed their father.
Bassel died in a car accident, changing the succession plans. Bashar then returned to Syria and became the family’s successor.
His arrival initially raised hopes for political reform. A period known as the Damascus Spring saw discussions about greater freedoms.
Those hopes soon faded as authorities arrested activists and restricted political opposition. Public dissent remained heavily controlled under his government.
In 2011, peaceful demonstrations spread across Syria. The government responded with increasing force, leading to a wider armed conflict.
The war eventually involved government forces, rebel groups and Islamist factions. ISIS, Kurdish forces and foreign powers also became involved.
Iran and Hezbollah provided important support to Assad’s government. Russia later intervened militarily and helped the government regain territory.
The conflict caused one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed during the war.
Millions of Syrians were displaced within the country. Millions more fled abroad and became refugees.
The Assad family had ruled Syria for more than five decades. Hafez al-Assad seized power in 1970 and built a strong security-based political system.
Bashar al-Assad continued that system after becoming president. His government survived years of war and international pressure.
However, rebel forces eventually advanced rapidly toward Damascus. Government defenses collapsed, and the capital fell in December 2024.
Assad fled Syria and later settled in Russia. His departure ended the family’s long political rule over the country.
The latest verdict now adds a legal chapter to Syria’s turbulent history. It also highlights the continuing efforts to hold former regime officials accountable.
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For victims and their families, the ruling could provide a sense of recognition. Yet questions remain about whether the sentence against Bashar al-Assad can ever be enforced.
