Former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad sentenced to death

A Syrian court has sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad to death, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reports.

Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year dictatorship in Syria came to an end on December 8, 2024, when opposition forces captured Damascus after a rapid offensive. Assad fled to Russia, where he was granted asylum, ending more than five decades of Assad family rule in Syria.

Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), emerged as Syria’s de facto leader following Assad’s overthrow.

On January 29, 2025, he was formally appointed transitional president, tasked with overseeing the country’s political transition and rebuilding state institutions.

By Aghakazim Guliyev