Damascus sentences Bashar Al-Assad’s cousin to death over war crimes

Shafaq News- Damascus

Syria’s Fourth Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced Wasim Al-Assad, a cousin of ousted President Bashar Al-Assad, to death after convicting him of murder and torture constituting war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The court also ordered the confiscation of his movable and immovable assets. Evidence, it claimed, linked an armed group under Al-Assad’s control to the looting of a shop in Jaramana and the abduction of its owner over the owner’s opposition to the former government, as well as to other kidnappings and killings.

Arrested in June 2025 on drug-trafficking allegations, Al-Assad was also accused of forming irregular armed groups under Brig. Gen. Ghiyath Dalla, a commander in the former Fourth Division, and taking part in operations against civilian areas in Eastern Ghouta, particularly Al-Mleiha. His trial began on June 24 and concluded after six sessions.

On August 11, the same court sentenced Bashar Al-Assad, his brother Maher, former security official Atef Najib, and several other former officials to death over murder, torture, unlawful detention, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Bashar and Maher were tried in absentia.