Live broadcast: Court in Damascus sentences Assad's cousin to death
Waseem Badia al-Assad, cousin of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, received a death sentence for murder, torture, and crimes committed during the civil war. He is in custody in Syria and was present in the courtroom during the sentencing, which was broadcast live.
The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus sentenced Waseem Badia al-Assad, cousin of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, to death today, Tuesday, after convicting him of murder, torture, and crimes committed during the country's civil war. He is in custody in Syria and was present in the courtroom during the reading of the verdict, which was broadcast live on Syrian television.
Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Arian stated that al-Assad was convicted of several murders, including "murder accompanied by torture and cruelty," offenses that the court defined as war crimes and crimes against humanity. The court determined that an armed group associated with him was involved in the kidnapping and murder of Syrian civilians. Alongside the death sentence, the court also ordered the confiscation of his assets.
Al-Assad was accused of establishing irregular armed groups that operated alongside the Assad regime starting in 2011, partly following instructions from Ghiath Dala, a senior commander in the Fourth Division commanded by Maher al-Assad. According to the indictment, the forces under his command participated in military operations against civilian areas in Eastern Ghouta, particularly in the town of Al-Malihah, where many civilians were killed.
The prosecution also attributed to him involvement in the trade and distribution of Captagon, the synthetic drug that became a significant source of income for networks linked to the regime during the Assad era. For years, al-Assad was considered one of the prominent figures in the regime's criminal and paramilitary network, and sanctions were even imposed on him by the USA and the European Union. However, the court acquitted him of the drug trafficking charge, ruling that insufficient evidence was presented regarding his direct involvement.
Waseem al-Assad was arrested in June 2025 at the Syria-Lebanon border after returning from Lebanon. His trial began last June and included hearing witnesses and presenting documents, photos, and videos. The prosecution demanded a death sentence, while he and his defense attorneys denied the charges and asked the court for mercy.
The verdict makes Waseem al-Assad the first member of the Assad family to be tried and sentenced to death while present in court. Just last week, Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher were sentenced to death in absentia. Both fled Syria after the fall of the regime in December 2024.
