Amnesty International urges Syria to abolish death penalty for Bashar Assad

• Amnesty International called on Syria’s transitional authorities to overturn the trials in absentia and abolish the death penalty.
• The calls followed death sentences issued against Bashar al-Assad, Maher al-Assad, Aatif Najib and other former security officials.

Amnesty International has called on Syria’s transitional authorities to overturn trials in absentia and abolish the death penalty after a Syrian court issued death sentences against former President Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher al-Assad and former Daraa security chief Aatif Najib.

The organization said the ruling was the first of its kind issued by Syria’s transitional authorities, describing the prosecution of those accused of crimes under the Assad government as a potential step toward justice and reparations for victims.

Amnesty said proceedings involving alleged perpetrators should take place before ordinary civilian courts, with meaningful participation by victims and affected communities.

The organization also urged Damascus to conduct comprehensive judicial reforms and incorporate core international crimes into national legislation.

Amnesty said such prosecutions should not result in the use of the death penalty, while stressing the need to ensure accountability for serious violations committed during the Assad era.

The calls followed a ruling by the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, which convicted Bashar al-Assad of crimes against humanity, intentional killing and torture during the suppression of protests in Daraa in 2011.

Court President Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan said Assad had used state institutions in the crackdown and was the "highest decision-maker" behind the crimes.

The court subsequently issued death sentences in absentia against Bashar al-Assad, Maher al-Assad, Aatif Najib, Fahd Jassem al-Freij and several senior security officials.

The case dates back to the early stages of the Syrian uprising in March 2011 in Daraa, following the arrest and torture of a group of children accused of writing slogans against the government.

Aatif Najib, who was then head of political security in Daraa, was among those identified as being involved in the crackdown and was later placed on US and European sanctions lists.