An American court sentences a Syrian official from the Assad era to 60 years in prison

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Federal prosecutors said that an American judge issued a 60-year prison sentence against a former Syrian government official who headed the Damascus Central Prison during the reign of former President Bashar al-Assad, and that a jury convicted him of torture. The judiciary brought charges against Samir Othman al-Sheikh (74 years old) in 2024, and he was convicted in March of conspiracy to commit torture and three counts of torture, for his involvement in mistreating prisoners in Adra prison, the name by which he is known in the country. Damascus.

The US Department of Justice also said that Al-Sheikh was convicted of lying to immigration authorities about his crimes, fraudulently obtaining a green card, and attempting to obtain US citizenship. Federal Judge Hernan Vera in Los Angeles issued the ruling on Thursday. Prosecutors said Al-Sheikh ordered his subordinates to inflict physical and psychological pain on prisoners to suppress dissent against the Assad government, and was sometimes personally involved in such incidents. The Justice Department said that Al-Sheikh, who held several positions in the security services, is the former highest-ranking official in the country. The Assad government is being tried and convicted in its capacity and person outside Syria. The sheikh's defense team had requested a five-year prison sentence. In March, they said they were "disappointed" by his conviction.

Al-Sheikh was the head of Adra prison from 2005 to 2008, and had previously pleaded not guilty.

Syrian rebels ended the Assad family's rule of more than 50 years in late 2024 following a rapid advance. Hundreds of thousands have died in a civil war that has lasted for more than a decade, caused a global refugee crisis, and reduced cities across the country to rubble.