A Syrian court has sentenced ousted president Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia after convicting him of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the country's civil war.
BBC reports that Assad fled Syria for Moscow with his family in December 2024 after his regime was overthrown, bringing an end to his family's more than five-decade rule over the country. He has remained in Russia since then, and it is unclear whether Syria's new authorities will be able to secure his extradition.
The death sentence marks the latest legal action against Assad by Syria's new leadership. An arrest warrant was issued against him in December 2024 on charges including murder and torture.
Assad was ousted after forces led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, now Syria's president, seized control in an 11-day offensive that brought down the Assad dynasty. Since taking power, the new government has detained numerous former regime officials and security personnel, although Assad and many of the regime's most senior figures remain beyond its reach in Russia.
The court's ruling stems from the brutal crackdown carried out under Assad during the uprising that began in 2011 and developed into a devastating civil war. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed during the conflict, while Assad's government was repeatedly accused of widespread torture, killings and other abuses.
The Syrian authorities began prosecuting officials associated with the former regime earlier this year. The proceedings represent a significant effort by the new government to hold members of Assad's former government accountable for crimes committed during his rule.
Previous attempts by Syrian opposition figures to pursue Assad through courts in Western countries during the final years of his rule did not result in convictions.
Assad's death sentence, however, is unlikely to be carried out unless Syria can first bring him back from Russia. For now, the former Syrian ruler remains in Moscow, where he has lived since the collapse of his regime.