Damascus court sentences Bashar al-Assad, Atef Najib to death
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- A Damascus criminal court sentenced former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and former security official Atef Najib to death in absentia.
- The court convicted them of intentional killing of multiple people and torture.
A criminal court in Syria’s capital, Damascus, has issued death sentences against fugitive former President Bashar al-Assad and Atef Najib after convicting them of intentional killing of multiple people and torture.
The court said it imposed the harshest penalty permitted under Syrian law on Najib, who was accused of torturing detainees and bearing direct responsibility for the deaths of many of them.
The court said its ruling convicted Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher al-Assad of the intentional killing of multiple people and issued death sentences against them in absentia.
The court said the ruling followed evidence establishing Bashar al-Assad’s involvement in serious violations and crimes against civilians across various parts of Syria.
The rulings came after the court completed hearings in the cases, including arguments from the prosecution, plaintiffs and defense teams.
The judicial panel said the verdicts were issued after a full review of the case files, evidence and documents presented during the proceedings.
