In a historic ruling, former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who ruled the country under an authoritarian regime for over two decades, has been sentenced to death by a criminal court in Damascus. The verdict, delivered on August 11, 2026, comes after Assad was convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during Syria's civil war that erupted in 2011. Atef Najib, Assad's cousin and former head of the Political Security Directorate in Deraa, was also sentenced to death for premeditated murder and torture. The new government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, has been in power since December 2024, when Assad's regime collapsed. Assad fled to Moscow with his family as Islamist-led forces closed in on Damascus, ending his 24-year rule. The Syrian civil war left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced, with both government forces and armed opposition groups accused of unlawful killings, torture, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, and attacks on civilian areas. UN investigators and international rights organizations documented these abuses, as well as the use of chemical weapons by government forces. The former regime was also accused of operating a widespread detention and torture system, with international investigations documenting torture and deaths in custody, and former Syrian security officials facing prosecution in European courts for alleged involvement in these abuses. The death sentences are part of ongoing legal proceedings against former regime officials and security figures by Syria's transitional authorities.