Trial of Former Syrian Grand Mufti Ahmad Hassoun: Indictment and Death Penalty

The trial of Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, a senior Islamic religious figure under former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is expected to conclude with a verdict on Monday in Damascus. Hassoun has been on trial since June 25 before the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, which handles transitional justice cases. Prosecutors have called for the death penalty.

Hassoun, who served as Grand Mufti of Syria from 2005 to 2021, was arrested at Damascus airport in March 2025 after re-emerging following a month in hiding. He was known for dehumanizing rhetoric against opponents of the former regime and is believed to have had extensive ties to state and security officials under Assad.

Who is Hassoun?

Born in Aleppo in 1949 to a prominent sheikh, Hassoun lectured in the city and served as a member of parliament from 1990 to 1998. In 2005, President Bashar al-Assad appointed him as Grand Mufti of Syria, and he was known for advocating interfaith dialogue and the separation of religion and state.

When the 2011 uprising erupted, Hassoun sided with the Assad government, blaming foreign intervention in Syria's internal affairs and supporting the so-called "counter-terrorism" campaign. Critics dubbed him the "barrel bomb mufti" for his fervent backing of the regime and violent rhetoric against the opposition.

After the Assad government fell in December 2024, Hassoun went into hiding. There were rumors he had left Syria, but he was arrested at Damascus International Airport in March 2025 while preparing to board a flight to Amman, Jordan.

Why is he on trial?

Hassoun is charged with inciting violence and providing religious and political legitimacy for the Assad regime and its allied forces. Evidence includes his connections to the inner circle of the former government, from Assad himself to the notorious former intelligence chief Ali Mamlouk.

He is also accused of ties to senior military officers and commanders of pro-government militias. According to the indictment, Hassoun delivered sermons supporting the regime, called for violence against opposition-held areas, threatened residents of Idlib, praised government figures implicated in war crimes, and endorsed Russian and Iranian intervention in massacres.

Amnesty International has reported that Hassoun was tasked by Assad with approving executions at Sednaya prison. Between 2012 and 2017, he is believed to have authorized the execution of approximately 13,000 prisoners.

Precedents and upcoming verdict

Previously, several senior officials of the former regime have been sentenced to death by Syrian courts, including the Assad brothers, cousin Wassim al-Assad, and Atef Najib. However, the Assad brothers fled to Russia after Damascus fell and were tried in absentia.

Hassoun's trial is part of the new government's efforts to prosecute crimes under the old rule. The question remains whether he will receive a similar sentence when the verdict is announced.