14:53
A Syrian court has handed down a death sentence in absentia to former President Bashar Assad and his brother for crimes against humanity and war crimes linked to Syria's protracted 14-year conflict, which has resulted in approximately half a million fatalities.
In the same case, Assad's cousin, Atef Najib, was also sentenced to death for his role in the violent crackdown during the early stages of the uprising in Daraa province, which eventually escalated into a civil war.
In a tightly secured courtroom, Najib appeared in a prisoner's uniform, confined within a cage as the verdict was delivered.
Bashar Assad and his brother, Maher, have been in Russia since fleeing Syria in December 2014, following the advance of insurgent forces into Damascus. Meanwhile, Najib has been detained and is among the highest-ranking officials to face trial, having previously served as a brigadier general in the Syrian army and led the Political Security Branch in Daraa in 2011. -- Agencies
