Sri Lanka, Aug. 12 -- A criminal court in Damascus on Tuesday sentenced former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his brother Mahe,r to death in absentia after convicting them of crimes against humanity and other offenses, the SANA news agency reported.
The Fourth Criminal Court also sentenced Assad's cousin Atef Najib, the former head of the Political Security Branch in Daraa, and six other fugitives - Fahd Jassem al-Freij, Mohammed Ayman Ayoush, Louay al-Ali, Qusai Ibrahim Mhayoub, Wafiq Saleh Nasser and Talal Fares al-Asimi - to death.Political news analysis
Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan said Assad's role in the crimes was that of "the highest decision-maker," adding that he had used State institutions to facilitate their commission. T...