Syrian Court Sentences Wasim al-Assad to Death

ARK News.. The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus on Tuesday, August 18, sentenced Wasim al-Assad to death after finding him guilty of forming irregular armed groups, allegedly under orders from Brigadier General Ghiyath Dalla, which targeted civilian areas in Eastern Ghouta and committed massacres against civilians, particularly in the town of al-Maliha.

Judge Fakhruddin al-Aryan said the court had established with conclusive evidence the involvement of an armed group affiliated with the defendant in an attack on a commercial establishment in Jaramana, the looting of its contents, and the abduction of its owner because of his opposition to the Assad regime. The group was also involved in the abduction and killing of Syrian citizens in several areas, he said.

The judge convicted Wasim al-Assad of the intentional and premeditated killing of multiple people, as well as torture, classified as crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Judge Fakhruddin al-Aryan also ordered the confiscation of the defendant’s movable and immovable assets in favor of the public treasury.

The first hearing in Wasim al-Assad’s trial was held on June 24. He faced several charges, most notably forming and running irregular armed groups allegedly under the orders of Brigadier General Ghiyath Dalla, a brigade commander in the Fourth Division of the former regime, led by Maher al-Assad. The groups had allegedly operated since early 2011 and participated in military operations targeting civilian areas in Eastern Ghouta, particularly al-Maliha, resulting in civilian deaths. He also faced charges related to drug trafficking and premeditated murder.

On August 11, the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus sentenced former regime leader Bashar al-Assad, Atef Najib, and several other fugitive figures of the Assad regime to death. The defendants included Maher Hafez al-Assad, Fahd Jassem al-Freij, Louay Ali al-Ali, Qusai Ibrahim Mahyoub, Wafiq Saleh Nasser, and Talal Faris al-Aysami after they were convicted of murder, torture, unlawful deprivation of liberty, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The public prosecution case against defendant Mohammed Ayman Ayoush was dismissed following his death.

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