Syrian court sentences Assad cousin to death for war crimes and crimes against humanity

A Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, to death for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the former government’s rule, the Damascus Fourth Criminal Court announced. The court also ordered the confiscation of his assets for the state treasury .

Wassim al-Assad, 46, was found guilty of premeditated murder, torture, and leading pro-regime militias involved in massacres and kidnappings, according to Al Jazeera. He is the only Assad relative currently on death row inside Syria . The charges included his role in military operations targeting civilian areas in Eastern Ghouta, particularly the town of al-Mleiha, where many civilians were killed .

The sentence follows last week’s in absentia death sentences for Bashar al-Assad, his younger brother Maher al-Assad, and another cousin, Atef Najib, on similar charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December 2024 after a rebel advance on Damascus and has since lived in exile in Russia under Russian supervision . The transitional government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has overseen judicial proceedings to hold former regime figures accountable.

Judge Fachr al-Din Arjan stated that Wassim al-Assad’s conviction stemmed from the “intentional killing of several people in connection with torture and brutality,” classifying the acts as crimes against humanity and war crimes . The trial began in June and concluded with Tuesday’s verdict.

Meanwhile, protests erupted in Aleppo and Damascus over the death of Mohammad Ghamira, a 29-year-old former White Helmets volunteer, who died Sunday from injuries sustained in police custody. Ghamira’s family said he had hemophilia and was beaten despite warnings to authorities. Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab vowed a “fair punishment” for those responsible, and seven ministry members were detained for questioning .

Syria’s 14-year civil war, which began in 2011, resulted in nearly 500,000 deaths and displaced roughly half of the country’s pre-war population of 22 million . The transitional government has pledged to prosecute those responsible for atrocities under the former regime.