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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
World
RFI

Former Syrian leader Assad sentenced to death in absentia over war crimes

A defaced portrait of Syria's ousted president Bashar al-Assad on a wall in the capital Damascus, 2 June, 2025.
A defaced portrait of Syria's ousted president Bashar al-Assad on a wall in the capital Damascus, 2 June, 2025. AFP - LOUAI BESHARA

A Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced former ruler Bashar al-Assad to death after a trial in absentia, convicting him of atrocities committed during the country's civil war. Six of his closest aides were also handed death sentences.

The ruling is the first of its kind under Syria's transitional leaders who ousted Assad in December 2024, vowing to ensure justice and accountability for crimes committed under his rule.

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