Syrian Court Sentences Assad to Death in Absentia for Crimes Against Humanity

A Damascus court sentenced ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher, and former security official Atef Najib to death in absentia on August 11, 2026, for crimes against humanity tied to the 2011 crackdown on protesters in Deraa province. Assad lives in exile in Moscow, limiting the rulings' enforceability. The verdict marks the first time a Syrian national court has classified the Deraa crimes as crimes against humanity against a former head of state.