A Syrian court in Damascus has sentenced former dictator Bashar al-Assad to death after convicting him of crimes against humanity. The ruling was handed down on August 11.
Assad led Syria during its nearly 14-year revolutionary conflict. He abandoned his generals and fled the besieged nation for Russia in 2024 after rebels gained an offensive foothold and stormed the capital city. Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has reportedly requested Russia extradite the former dictator, though it is considered unlikely that Moscow will comply.