On August 19, the Criminal Court No. 4 in Damascus sentenced Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, to death after convicting him of crimes including premeditated murder and torture during the nearly 14-year civil war in the country.
This is the latest ruling targeting officials of the former government accused of crimes during the conflict in Syria. Earlier, on August 11, a Damascus court also sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher al-Assad, and cousin Atef Najib to death on charges including murder, torture, and crimes against humanity.
The rulings come as Syria's new authorities seek to prosecute figures close to the old regime, who are accused of committing serious offenses over more than a decade of conflict.
