Damascus, August 11 (QNA) - The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus Tuesday sentenced Bashar Al Assad and Atef Najib to death after convicting them of murder, torture, arbitrary detention and crimes against humanity.
The rulings were rendered during the court's ninth session in the case brought against Atef Najib, the former head of the Political Security Branch in Daraa province, and several fugitive defendants.
The court, presided over by Judge Fakhr Al Din Al Aryan, convicted Bashar Al Assad of the intentional and premeditated killing of multiple people, including children.
The death sentence also included Maher Al Assad, commander of the Fourth Division; Fahd Jassem Al Freij, the former defense minister; and several former high-ranking military and security officials such as Mohammad Ayman Ayoush, Louay Al Ali, Qusay Ibrahim Mihoub, Wafiq Saleh Nasser, and Talal Fares Al Aseimi. They were convicted of premeditated and intentional murder and torture leading to death.
President of the National Commission for Transitional Justice Abdul Basit Abdul Latif said the ruling represents a watershed moment in the path toward ensuring justice for victims and strengthening the rule of law. (QNA)