DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — A Syrian court sentenced ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad along with his younger brother Maher to death in absentia on Tuesday for crimes against humanity and war crimes during Syria’s 14-year conflict that left about half a million people dead.

The sentences at the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus were the first against Assad or members of his inner circle since the Assad family’s five decades in power came to an end in December 2024.

“Bashar Assad used state agencies to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity,” said judge Fakhareddine al-Aryan during a court session that was aired live on state television.

Also sentenced to death was Assad’s maternal cousin Atef Najib, the former head of political security in Daraa province, who was convicted of overseeing a crackdown in the southern province of Daraa that helped trigger the uprising against Assad and later the civil war.

Under tight security, Najib stood inside a cage wearing a prisoner’s uniform as the judge read the sentence. A crowd gathered outside the courthouse in central Damascus to hear the verdict.

“Today is the day of justice for all the wounded, martyrs, detainees and Syrians who were forced to leave their country,” said Adnan al-Masalmeh, an attorney who represented families of Najib’s victims. “Today marks a victory of right against injustice, a victory of the Syrian people against the ousted regime.”

Assad and his........

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