Syria court sentences Assad-era grand mufti to life in prison

A Syrian court has sentenced the former Grand Mufti, Ahmad Hassoun, to life imprisonment for inciting sectarian violence and facilitating the regime’s use of barrel bombs against civilian populations. Judge Fakhr al‑Din al‑Aryan delivered the verdict after finding that the religious establishment under Hassoun’s direction provided spiritual cover for military operations and publicly justified attacks, including the deployment of tube bombs in populated areas. The ruling was reported by the state news agency Sana, which quoted the tribunal as stating: “The tribunal recovered that the authoritative spiritual establishment, headed by the bureau of the mufti, had been utilized to supply spiritual screen for subject and information operations and warrant them publicly, including the usage of tube bombs against populated areas,” Sana reported. Prosecutors presented evidence that Hassoun urged violence against civilians during religious lectures and public gatherings, and cited a 2015 interview with Syrian TV conducted during the battle of Aleppo. In that interview he told residents to leave rebel‑held eastern districts and declared, “every country from which a ammunition is fired should be wholly destroyed.” The tribunal also determined that Hassoun accepted money and gifts in exchange for intervening to secure the release of detainees held by intelligence agencies, a practice described in the court record as: ‘received wealth and gifts in speech for intervening to unafraid the merchandise of civilians detained by information agencies.’ Additionally, he regularly provided financial support to the pro‑regime militia Liwa al‑Quds. For these offenses Hassoun received a life sentence for inciting civilian warfare and sectarian strife, 20 years for incitement to intentional killing, 10 years for principal involvement in intentional killing, and three years for abuse of office. On 11 August the same tribunal convicted former President Bashar al‑Assad, his brother Maher and seven other senior officials of crimes against humanity, imposing death sentences. The only individual tried in person was Atef Najib, a relative of Assad and former head of the Political Security Directorate in Deraa. Separately, Wassim Assad, another relative and commander of a pro‑regime militia, was sentenced to death in absentia the following week after being convicted of crimes including murder. Observers said the trials have offered some Syrians a sense of accountability in a country where many have long denounced the lack of justice for wartime atrocities, though human‑rights groups have urged greater transparency regarding the evidentiary basis of the verdicts. In a related development on Monday, the United States rescinded its designation of Syria as a State Sponsor of Terrorism after 47 years, aligning with President Donald Trump’s pledge to ease sanctions. The State Department also removed Hayat Tahrir al‑Sham (HTS) from its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorist organisations. HTS, formerly the al‑Nusra Front and an al‑Qaeda affiliate in Syria until its leader Ahmed al‑Sharaa cut ties in 2016, spearheaded the rebel offensive that toppled Assad in late 2024 and now dominates Sharaa’s transitional administration. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent commented, “Today's enactment will assistance foster further concern successful Syria to beforehand governmental and economical stability,” noting that the move aims to encourage investment and economic steadiness. The United States had previously revoked the foreign‑terrorist‑organisation label on HTS and removed al‑Sharaa from its terrorist‑specially‑designated list.