Former Syrian Security Chief Sentenced to Death in Daraa Crackdown Trial
A Syrian court has sentenced Atef Najib, former Daraa security chief, to death for his role in the crackdown that sparked the 2011 uprising.
A Damascus court has handed down a death sentence to Atef Najib, the former head of the Political Security Branch in the Daraa area during Bashar Assad's rule. The verdict was delivered during a session at the Palace of Justice in the Syrian capital.
Najib was a central figure in the early repression of protests in Daraa, the southern city widely regarded as the birthplace of the 2011 uprising against Assad's government. His security forces' actions in the region are seen as a catalyst for the nationwide revolt that followed.
The sentencing marks a significant legal reckoning for a senior official from the former regime. Najib appeared in court in a defendants' cage, a standard practice for high-profile security trials in Syria.
The trial is part of broader efforts to hold former officials accountable for abuses committed during the conflict. The court's decision underscores the gravity of the charges against Najib, whose tenure in Daraa is linked to some of the earliest and most consequential violence of the war.