Damascus Court Delivers Verdict

A Damascus court has sentenced former Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun to life imprisonment in the latest trial involving figures associated with the rule of former President Bashar Assad.

Hassoun was present in court when the verdict was delivered.

Charges Against Hassoun

Hassoun was convicted of inciting violence and justifying murder.

He was a prominent supporter of the Assad government and frequently defended its policies in public.

Court Raises Barrel Bomb Attacks

Judge Fakhreddine al-Aryan, head of the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, said the religious establishment under Assad had justified the use of barrel bombs against civilian areas.

The court said such attacks caused widespread destruction and violated international humanitarian law.

Served as Grand Mufti Until 2021

Hassoun served as Syria's Grand Mufti from 2005 to 2021, when the position was abolished.

His close association with the Assad government made his trial particularly significant in the broader reckoning with the former regime.

Wider Legal Action Against Assad-Era Figures

The Syrian authorities have also pursued legal action against several other senior figures linked to Assad's rule.

Former President Bashar Assad and his brother Maher Assad, among others, have reportedly received death sentences in recent weeks, with many of those cases conducted in absentia.

Human Rights Concerns

Some human rights organisations have expressed concerns about the pace and fairness of the trials.

Questions have been raised over whether defendants are receiving adequate due process and fair-trial protections.

At the same time, many Syrians have welcomed the prosecutions as an overdue effort to hold figures from the former regime accountable.

Background to Syria's War

Syria's conflict began in 2011 after anti-government protests were met with a violent crackdown.

The conflict developed into a nearly 14-year civil war that killed around 500,000 people and displaced more than half of Syria's pre-war population.

Assad was ousted in December 2024 after a rapid offensive by Islamist-led insurgents.

Conclusion

Former Syrian Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun has been sentenced to life in prison by a Damascus court.

He was convicted of inciting violence and justifying murder. The verdict is part of a broader legal reckoning with officials and prominent figures associated with the Assad era, although concerns remain over the fairness and due process of some of the ongoing trials.