What happenedA Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced ousted President Bashar al-Assad to death, finding him guilty of murder, torture and crimes against humanity committed before and during Syria’s bloody 14-year civil war. Assad, his younger brother Maher and six of the seven other former officials handed death sentences by the Damascus court were tried in absentia. Assad’s cousin Atef Najib stood in a cage in the courtroom for the verdicts.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Join 350,000+ subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of