Syria Sentences Assad-Era Top Cleric To Life In Prison

Syria Sentences Assad-Era Top Cleric to Life in Prison

A Syrian court has sentenced Ahmed Hassoun, the former grand mufti under ousted President Bashar al-Assad, to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of crimes including inciting civil war and sectarian violence.Hassoun, 77, served as Syria’s top Muslim cleric from 2005 to 2021, when the position of grand mufti was abolished. He was widely known for his close relationship with Assad and frequently appeared alongside the former president at religious and state occasions. The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus, presided over by Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan, convicted Hassoun of several offences, including inciting civil war and sectarian conflict, inciting intentional killing, participation in intentional killing, abuse of office and provoking sectarian and racial tensions. The court found that the religious institution headed by Hassoun had been used to provide religious justification for military and security operations carried out under Assad’s rule. It also said his public statements contributed to supporting violence against opponents of the former government. Hassoun was additionally accused of supporting the use of barrel bombs against populated areas, publicly encouraging the former regime’s forces to confront its opponents and supporting armed groups involved in the conflict. Alongside the life sentence, the court imposed additional prison terms for the various offences, ordered the confiscation of his movable and immovable assets, and imposed financial penalties. The combined prison terms were merged, leaving life imprisonment as the operative sentence. Hassoun was arrested in March 2025 as he attempted to leave Syria. His trial began on June 25, 2026, and Monday’s ruling came during the sixth session of proceedings. His case forms part of a broader transitional justice process by Syria’s new authorities following the fall of Assad’s government in December 2024. At least 10 prominent figures associated with the former regime have received sentences during August, including former military, security and political officials. The proceedings have been welcomed by many Syrians seeking accountability for abuses committed during the Assad era, although human rights organisations have raised concerns about the speed and fairness of some of the trials. Hassoun is the first senior Sunni religious figure to face trial under Syria’s transitional authorities, making the verdict a significant development in the country’s effort to hold former regime figures accountable.