Syria’s Ousted President Bashar al-Assad Given Death Sentence
Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received a death sentence on Tuesday. A Syrian court found him guilty of serious crimes. These crimes happened during the country’s nearly 14-year war. The court held the trial without him being present.
This is the first time Bashar al-Assad has been convicted. He was removed from power in December 2024. Rebel fighters led that offensive. This event ended his family’s long rule over Syria. It also stopped the brutal war. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians died during this conflict.
Bashar al-Assad left the capital, Damascus. He fled as rebel fighters got closer almost two years ago. He is now living in Moscow, Russia.
On Tuesday, a judge issued the death sentence. The judge found Assad guilty of “premeditated and intentional murder.” This included the murder of many people and children. He was also convicted of torture and arbitrary arrest. These were considered crimes against humanity.
Atef Najib, a security official under Assad, also received a death sentence.
Bashar al-Assad was born in 1965. He became president in 2000 after his father, Hafez al-Assad, died. He continued his family’s rule. His family belonged to the Alawite sect. This sect remained powerful in Syria. Most people in Syria are Sunni Muslims.
Syria also stayed an ally of Iran under Assad. It remained unfriendly towards Israel and the United States.
Assad’s time as president was shaped by several events. These included the Iraq war and problems in Lebanon. His rule was mostly defined by a civil war. This war began in 2011. It started from the “Arab Spring” protests. Syrians demanded democracy then. The government met these demands with deadly force.
