Syria’s Fourth Criminal Court sentenced Bashar al-Assad to death on 11 August, and enforcement is uncertain because key accused are reportedly outside Syria while Amnesty International objects to in-absentia death sentences.
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What happened: death sentences from Syria’s Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus
Syria’s Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus sentenced Bashar al-Assad to death on 11 August. The sentencing followed trials tied to Syria’s transitional justice effort.
Syria’s Fourth Criminal Court also sentenced Maher al-Assad, Atef Najib, and six other people. Atef Najib was reportedly held in Syria and reportedly appeared for the proceedings.
Syria’s Fourth Criminal Court sentenced some other accused in absentia. The enforcement of death sentences is described as difficult because Bashar al-Assad and Maher al-Assad are reportedly outside Syria, including in Russia.
Background: National Commission for Transitional Justice under Ahmad al-Shaara
Ahmad al-Shaara established the National Commission for Transitional Justice in May 2025, and the sentencing is described as part of that accountability framework focused on serious human-rights abuses.
