A court in Syria has reportedly sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad to death over alleged crimes committed during his rule.
Al-Assad, who governed Syria from 2000 until 2024, has been accused of responsibility for killings, abuses and other violations against Syrian civilians during the country’s long-running conflict.
Following his removal from power, Assad fled Syria and has been living in Russia, which granted him protection.
The reported death sentence marks a dramatic development in Syria’s efforts to hold senior figures from the former government accountable for alleged abuses committed during Assad’s decades-long rule.