According to AFP report on August 18 local time, the Fourth Criminal Court of Damascus, Syria, sentenced Wassim al-Assad to death on that day. Wassim al-Assad is the cousin of Syria's former president Bashar al-Assad, and he appeared in court for trial.
Judge Fakhreddin Aliyan announced during the sentencing hearing on that day that Waseem Assad was convicted of multiple murder charges, intentional killing and torture of several people. These acts were classified as crimes against humanity and war crimes, hence his death sentence was imposed.
Alayen said that investigations have confirmed that some armed groups formed by Waseem Assad have attacked and killed civilians in the eastern Ghouta area of Damascus. Additionally, an armed group under his control attacked a commercial store in the Jarmana district of Damascus, robbing the store's belongings and kidnapping the owner. This group is also suspected of kidnapping and killing Syrian citizens in several other areas.
According to reports, the Syrian transitional government initiated legal proceedings against Bashar al-Assad and other officials in April this year, accusing them of committing ‘atrocities’ during the civil war.
Previously, on August 11 local time, the Fourth Criminal Court of Damascus, Syria, sentenced the former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia. He was accused of committing crimes such as murder, torture, arbitrary arrest, and war crimes during the nearly 14-year civil war in the country.
It is reported that this is the first conviction against Assad.
On December 8, 2024, Syrian opposition forces captured the capital Damascus and announced the overthrow of the Assad regime. Bashar al-Assad then announced his resignation and left Syria with his family for Russia. He is currently in Moscow.
