Syrian Court Sentences Ousted President Bashar al-Assad to Death for Crimes Against Humanity

Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Atef Najib, the former political security chief for the southern province of Daraa, have been sentenced to death after being convicted of crimes committed during the country's civil war.

The Criminal Court in Damascus found Bashar al-Assad guilty of "premeditated murder," while Atef Najib was convicted of premeditated "murder and torture." The court ruled that the atrocities committed by the Assad regime in Daraa province in 2011 constituted crimes against humanity.

The former president fled to Russia in December 2024 when rebels led by Islamist leader Ahmed al-Sharaa the current president overthrew the government. Assad remains in Russia.

Assad’s downfall in December 2024 dramatically ended 53 years of rule by the Assad family, which began under his father, Hafez al-Assad, in the 1970s. Hafez al-Assad governed from 1971 until his death in 2000, after which Bashar assumed power.

Though he initially introduced mild reforms, Bashar al-Assad quickly reverted to an authoritarian rule similar to his father's. When Arab Spring protests erupted in March 2011, the regime used violent crackdowns to suppress opposition, spiraling the nation into a bloody civil war that claimed over 600,000 lives and displaced more than 13 million people.

Assad managed to maintain control over major Syrian cities for years with direct military support from Russia, Iran, and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. However, shifted global priorities including Russia's war in Ukraine beginning in 2022 and escalating conflicts involving Israel, Gaza, and Hezbollah weakened his external support system.

On November 27, 2024, the rebel coalition led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a sudden and aggressive offensive. Rebel forces captured Aleppo on November 30, Hama on December 5, and Homs on December 7, rapidly advancing toward the capital.

Assad sought additional military intervention from Moscow, but Russia, preoccupied with its campaign in Ukraine, declined to provide significant assistance.

On the morning of December 8, 2024, as rebel fighters entered Damascus, Assad fled the capital for the Russian-operated Khmeimim Air Base in Latakia before being flown to Moscow. Following his departure, rebel forces formally declared the liberation of Syria, bringing an end to the Assad regime.