World News
Former Syrian grand mufti sentenced to life in prison by Damascus court
Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun was convicted of inciting violence and justifying military attacks during Bashar Assad's rule.
The short version
- A Damascus court sentenced former Syrian grand mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun to life in prison for inciting violence and supporting regime killings during the Syrian civil war.
- Hassoun is the tenth figure from former President Bashar Assad's administration to be convicted under Syria's new judicial authorities.
- Human rights groups have warned that the rapid trials may lack due process, while supporters view them as necessary accountability following the December 2024 fall of Assad's government.
Key facts
- The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus sentenced Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun to life in prison after convicting him of inciting violence, justifying murder, and abusing his official position.[Al Jazeera · Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]
- Presiding Judge Fakhreddine al-Aryan stated that the Assad-era religious body under Hassoun legitimised the military's use of barrel bombs against civilian populations.[Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]
- Hassoun served as Syria's top Sunni cleric from 2005 until the position was abolished in 2021, and was arrested in March 2025 at Damascus Airport.[Al Jazeera · Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]
- Hassoun is the tenth official sentenced in a series of post-conflict trials that have included in-absentia death sentences for former President Bashar Assad and his brother Maher.[Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]
What remains uncertain
- Human Rights Watch and other monitoring groups expressed concern over whether the expedited proceedings guarantee impartial and independent trial standards.[Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]