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.

It is the first conviction against Assad, who fled to Moscow with his family in December 2024 after his regime was overthrown, ending more than five decades of Assad family rule.

His cousin and former head of political security in Deraa, Atef Najib, was also sentenced to death after being convicted of murder, killing children under 15 and torture resulting in death.

Six other former military and security officials, including Assad’s younger brother Maher and former Defence Minister Fahd al-Freij, were also sentenced to death in absentia.

The court proceedings focused on the 2011 crackdown in Deraa, widely regarded as the birthplace of the uprising that developed into a civil war in which hundreds of thousands of people were killed.

Relatives of victims celebrated outside the courthouse, describing the verdict as a long-awaited step toward justice.

Syria’s interim government has detained several former regime officials and previously issued an arrest warrant for Assad. However, his extradition from Russia remains uncertain.