A Historic Verdict in Damascus
The Fourth Criminal Court of Damascus on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, sentenced former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, in the first public ruling against the leader who ruled Syria with an iron fist for over two decades. The verdict was delivered by Judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan and broadcast live on Syrian state television.
The judge declared that "Bashar al-Assad used state institutions to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity", and found him guilty of the "serious crime of premeditated and intentional murder of more than one person and of children, as well as the serious crime of torture and arbitrary detention". The former president was not present at the hearing as he is outside the country, taking refuge in Moscow.
What Are Crimes Against Humanity?
Crimes against humanity are deliberate, widespread acts committed systematically against a civilian population. They include murder, torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and political persecution. Unlike war crimes, which occur in the context of an armed conflict, crimes against humanity can be committed in times of war or peace, and are considered imprescriptible under international law.
In Assad's case, the court accused him of being the "supreme decision-maker", who mobilized state institutions to commit these offenses during the 14-year conflict that devastated Syria.
The Convicted: The Regime's Inner Circle
The sentence did not only target Bashar al-Assad. In total, the court sentenced ten people to death, including:
| Convicted | Role / Position | Presence at Trial |
|---|---|---|
| Bashar al-Assad | Former dictator of Syria (2000-2024) | In absentia (exiled in Russia) |
| Maher al-Assad | Commander of the 4th Armored Division | In absentia (exiled in Russia) |
| Atef Najib | Maternal cousin of Assad. Former head of Political Security in Daraa (2011) | Present at the hearing |
| Six other individuals | Regime officials and agents | In absentia (fugitives) |
Atef Najib, the only one present at the session, appeared before the court under heavy security, inside a cage and dressed in a prisoner's uniform. He had been sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in April 2011 and later detained, becoming one of the highest-ranking officials of the former regime to face justice.
Daraa: The Spark of the Civil War
The conviction of Atef Najib is directly linked to the very origin of the Syrian civil war. In 2011, when Najib was head of the Political Security Branch in the southern province of Daraa, more than a dozen teenagers were arrested and tortured after painting anti-government graffiti on a school wall.
Judge al-Aryan stated that investigations and testimonies demonstrated Najib's involvement in the interrogation of several detainees after the start of the protests, and that the political security branch he led "stormed the Omari Mosque in Daraa" along with other security branches.
The violent repression of these demonstrations led to a civil war that lasted 14 years, left nearly half a million dead, and caused one of the most severe humanitarian crises in recent decades. The conflict finally ended with a lightning rebel offensive that toppled Assad's government in December 2024.
Exile in Russia and the Extradition Request
After the fall of his government in December 2024, Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher left Syria and fled to Russia, where they received political asylum. Since then, Syria's new rulers have asked Moscow to hand over the Assad brothers so they can face justice for the crimes attributed to the former regime.
Maher al-Assad had been commander of the 4th Armored Division of the Syrian army, a unit that opposition activists accused of murder, torture, extortion, and drug trafficking. According to reports, the division had its own detention centers and was linked to various repressive actions during the conflict.
The End of Five Decades of Power
The Assad family ruled Syria for five decades. Bashar inherited power from his father, Hafez al-Assad, who took control of the country in 1970. After Hafez's death in 2000, Bashar assumed the presidency and maintained an authoritarian regime based on military control, intelligence services, and the repression of any dissent.
The verdict issued this Tuesday represents one of the first judicial steps against the former regime's top leadership, after more than a decade of war and the subsequent fall of the government. While the ex-dictator remains in Moscow pondering his fate, millions of Syrians who suffered the consequences of his regime see this ruling as a step toward justice and national reconciliation.
Sources: Infobae (EFE), Ámbito, El País.