Kathmandu— Syria has sentenced Wassim al-Assad, a former figure in the regime led by his cousin Bashar al-Assad, to death for crimes including premeditated murder and torture. The sentencing on Tuesday follows last week's similar sentence handed down to ousted President Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher, and cousin Atef Najib. The judicial proceedings are part of ongoing transitional justice efforts in Syria following the end of a 14-year conflict that began with Arab Spring protests and resulted in nearly half a million deaths and widespread displacement.

Who Is Wassim Al-Assad?

Wassim al-Assad, age 46, was born in Latakia on Syria’s Mediterranean coast. He is a cousin of Bashar al-Assad, who was removed from power in December 2024 after a rebel advance on Damascus. Following the fall of the regime, Bashar and Maher al-Assad fled to Moscow where they remain under Russian supervision. Wassim al-Assad is a member of Syria’s minority Alawite community.

Charges And Conviction

Wassim al-Assad was charged with establishing and leading pro-regime paramilitary groups starting in early 2011, when the Syrian civil war began. He was specifically found guilty of participating in military operations targeting civilian areas in Eastern Ghouta, particularly the town of al-Mleiha. Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan stated that Wassim al-Assad committed multiple murders and “murder accompanied by torture and brutality … classified as crimes against humanity and war crimes.” The court also determined an armed group linked to him was involved in abducting and killing Syrians. While he was arrested in June 2025 upon his return from Lebanon, the court found insufficient evidence to convict him on drug-trafficking charges.

Broader Accountability Efforts

The sentencing of Wassim al-Assad comes after Bashar al-Assad, Maher al-Assad, and Atef Najib received death sentences on August 11. Former security official Najib, who is accused of triggering the civil war with a brutal crackdown on protesters in Deraa in 2011, was sentenced in person as he had been held in detention since January 2025. The trials are seen as a test of Syria’s transitional justice system and the new authorities' commitment to prosecuting officials from the previous regime for abuses committed under their rule. President Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of the transitional government, has faced criticism for delays in implementing the promised transitional justice process.

Scale Of The Conflict

The Syrian civil war, which began with protests violently suppressed by al-Assad forces, resulted in almost half a million deaths. Between 13 and 14 million of Syria’s pre-war population of 22 million were displaced from their homes, with roughly half forced to flee overseas. Eastern Ghouta, a farming region east of Damascus, became a major rebel stronghold during the war and suffered under military siege and resulting humanitarian crisis.

In addition to the death sentence, the court ordered the confiscation of Wassim al-Assad’s assets as these trials continue to be viewed as an important step in Syria's pursuit of justice.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.