The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus (a court handling transitional justice matters) delivered the verdicts. Assad was convicted in absentia of premeditated/intentional murder (including of children), torture, arbitrary detention, and crimes against humanity/war crimes. The court described him as the “ultimate decision-maker” who used state institutions to commit the acts. Najib, who appeared in person wearing a striped prison uniform inside a courtroom cage, was convicted of premeditated murder, torture (including leading to death), and related charges; the court found him responsible for widespread torture of detainees and deaths in custody.
Key additional details
- Others sentenced: Death sentences (mostly in absentia) were also handed down to Assad’s younger brother Maher al-Assad (who commanded the elite Fourth Division) and several other former military/security officials, including former Defense Minister Fahd al-Freij and others named in the case file (such as Mohammed Ayman Ayoush, Louay Ali al-Ali, and others). In total, around nine officials received death sentences. The court ordered international pursuit of Assad and Maher.
- Focus of the case: It centered heavily on the 2011 crackdown in Daraa (Deraa) province, the southern region where protests began after security forces detained and mistreated teenage boys who had painted anti-Assad graffiti. Those events helped spark the wider uprising that escalated into a 14-year civil war that killed roughly half a million people and displaced millions. The court classified the government’s actions in Daraa as amounting to crimes against humanity. Najib, then head of the Political Security Branch in Daraa, was accused of overseeing interrogations, suppression of protests (including with live fire), the storming of sites such as the Omari Mosque, and systematic abuse in detention.
- Background of the defendants:
- Assad ruled from 2000 until his regime collapsed in a rapid rebel offensive in December 2024; he and his family fled to Moscow, where they have remained. This is the first formal conviction of him by a Syrian court under the post-Assad transitional authorities.
- Najib (Assad’s maternal cousin, a former brigadier general) was one of the highest-ranking former officials actually in custody. He was arrested in early 2025 (reports cite January or around then, in the Latakia area). His trial began in late April 2026 and involved multiple sessions with witnesses and plaintiffs.
- Context and significance: This is widely described as a historic or landmark step in Syria’s transitional justice efforts under the new authorities (led by figures associated with the forces that ousted Assad). Officials and observers have framed it as an important milestone for accountability, victims’ redress, and establishing the rule of law, though it is not the end of broader efforts. Najib’s physical presence made the proceedings particularly visible; Assad and most others remain out of reach in Russia, which has not extradited them. The session was reported as aired or heavily covered, with crowds outside the courthouse.
Assad has been in exile in Russia since late 2024 and is highly unlikely to face the sentence in practice under current circumstances. Najib’s presence means his sentence could theoretically be carried out, subject to any appeals or further legal processes under Syrian law. The case builds on earlier actions, such as an arrest warrant issued against Assad in late 2025.
This development reflects the new Syrian authorities’ push to prosecute high-level figures from the previous regime for atrocities during the conflict, particularly those linked to the 2011 Daraa events that helped ignite the war. Coverage is consistent across major outlets (BBC, Al Jazeera, Reuters, AP, and others) as of August 11, 2026.
