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Ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad sentenced to death in absentia

Latest update from PBS NewsHour: In our news wrap Tuesday, ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been sentenced to death in absentia for war crimes during the country's brutal civil war, authorities say at least six people were killed when Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired ballistic missiles on a vessel and the Democratic Republic of the Congo says the Ebola outbreak there has now killed more than 2,000 people. Latest update from The Guardian World: Verdict relates to atrocities committed during the country’s 14-year civil war in which about 500,000 people died A Syrian court has sentenced the country’s former president Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher to death in absentia for crimes against humanity and war crimes during the 14-year civil war, in which about half a million people died. A Syrian court has sentenced ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, after convicting him of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the country's civil war. It is the first conviction against Assad, who fled from Damascus to the Russian capital, Moscow, with his family after his regime was overthrown in December 2024, ending his family's five-decade grip on power. Assad's cousin and the former head of political security in southern Syria's Deraa province, Atef Najib, was also sentenced to death.

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Scoop News DeskSyrian · Published Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 2:50 PM UTCUpdated Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 9:24 PM UTC

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Nouha al-Masri, a prosecutor in the case, lost her brother during the March 2011 crackdown and massacre at al-Omari Square in Deraa. "We have been waiting for 15 years to reclaim even a small part of our rights, for all those who have spilled our blood, committed crimes, violated our rights, killed, and tortured us," Masri told the BBC. "Our demand is that this not be the end of the trials.

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Version 2updated
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 6:08 AM UTC
Latest update from PBS NewsHour: In our news wrap Tuesday, ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been sentenced to death in absentia for war crimes during the country's brutal civil war, authorities say at least six people were killed when Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired ballistic missiles on a vessel and the Democratic Republic of the Congo says the Ebola outbreak there has now killed more than 2,000 people. Latest update from The Guardian World: Verdict relates to atrocities committed during the country’s 14-year civil war in which about 500,000 people died A Syrian court has sentenced the country’s former president Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher to death in absentia for crimes against humanity and war crimes during the 14-year civil war, in which about half a million people died. A Syrian court has sentenced ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, after convicting him of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the country's civil war. It is the first conviction against Assad, who fled from Damascus to the Russian capital, Moscow, with his family after his regime was overthrown in December 2024, ending his family's five-decade grip on power. Assad's cousin and the former head of political security in southern Syria's Deraa province, Atef Najib, was also sentenced to death.
Version 3unpublished
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 9:24 PM UTC
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