Hassoun’s sentencing is part of a series of trials targeting officials and figures linked to Assad’s rule following the collapse of his government.
Former Syrian Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Damascus on Monday after he was convicted of inciting violence and justifying murder under the rule of ousted President Bashar Assad.
Hassoun, who served as Syria’s top Islamic religious official from 2005 until the position was abolished in 2021, was present in court when the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus delivered the sentence, according to The Associated Press.
Judge Fakhreddine al-Aryan, head of the court, said the religious establishment under Assad had justified the use of barrel bombs against civilian areas, causing widespread destruction and violating international humanitarian law.
The judge’s remarks formed part of the court’s findings against Hassoun, who had openly supported Assad’s government and its policies during the Syrian conflict.
