A former Islamic religious leader was sentenced to life in prison on Monday in the latest Syrian court trial of officials affiliated with the rule of ex-President Bashar Assad.
Former grand mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun, an Assad loyalist who was vocally in support of the government's policies, was convicted of inciting violence and justifying murder. He held the position of mufti from 2005 to 2021, when the position was abolished.