Syrian Court Schedules Death Penalty Verdict for Aatif Najeeb

Syria’s Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus has set 11 August for the verdict in the trial of Aatif Najeeb, a former head of political security in Daraa and a relative of deposed President Bashar al‑Assad. Prosecutors have asked that Najeeb and his co‑accused be sentenced to death by hanging for crimes against humanity and war crimes, including systematic torture, the killing of children under fifteen, and the 2011 crackdown on protests that involved the arrest and abuse of Daraa’s children.

The court’s eighth hearing heard the prosecution’s five demands, which also call for civil compensation to victims. Defense lawyers have urged strict application of the law. The case is part of Syria’s transitional‑justice process aimed at holding former regime officials accountable for severe violations committed during the civil war.