Syria sentences to death Assad's detained cousin for war crimes

Home Middle East Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of overthrown long-time Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, was convicted of multiple murders and murder accompanied by torture and brutality. A Damascus court issued a death sentence on Tuesday. Issued on: 18/08/2026 - 11:24 1 min Reading time A handout picture released by the Syrian Interior Ministry's Telegram page on June 21, 2025, shows Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of toppled Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, after the country's official news agency SANA said he was detained, at an unknown location. © AFP A Syrian court on Tuesday issued a death sentence to detainee Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad who was himself sentenced to death in absentia a week ago. Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan said Wassim al-Assad was convicted of multiple murders and "murder accompanied by torture and brutality... classified as crimes against humanity and war crimes", adding that "he is therefore sentenced to death". (FRANCE 24 with AFP) Keywords for this article