The trial of Syria’s ousted leader Bashar al-Assad has concluded. The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus sentenced Assad to death on charges including crimes against humanity, intentional killings, torture, and arbitrary detention.
The court also sentenced Assad’s brother, Maher al-Assad, and his cousin, Najib Atif, to death.
Judge Al-Aryan of the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus stated that, based on witness testimonies, Bashar al-Assad was determined to have been the “highest-level decision-maker” in the crimes in question. The judge also said that Assad had used state institutions to facilitate the commission of these crimes.
According to Syria’s official news agency, SANA, the court found Assad responsible for intentional killings, torture, arbitrary detention, and crimes against humanity and handed down the death penalty.
With the court’s ruling, a critical stage has been reached in the judicial proceedings against Syria’s ousted leader Bashar al-Assad.