Syrian Court Sentences Defense Ministry Official to 20 Years in Prison

Syrian courts handed down a 20-year prison sentence on Thursday to a defense ministry official for his involvement in the violence that erupted last year in the Sahel region, which left hundreds dead. Meanwhile, two other defendants, supporters of the former regime, were sentenced to death and life imprisonment, respectively.

Zakaria Bakkar, head of the Military Assize Court, announced the death sentence in the courtroom for one of the defendants, convicting him of crimes including “attacks aimed at inciting civil war and sectarian fighting, and participation in an armed gang intended to confront public security forces, resulting in the deaths of more than two people.”

Another defendant was convicted of “the crime of participating in an armed gang formed with the intent to commit murders, looting, and pillaging,” and was sentenced to life imprisonment. The court also convicted a defense ministry official of “intentional murder,” sentencing him to 20 years in prison, with time spent in pretrial detention to be deducted from the sentence.