Former Grand Mufti of Syria sentenced to life imprisonment
A criminal court in Damascus sentenced the former religious leader to life imprisonment for incitement to violence and justification of killings.
On August 24, 2026, the Fourth Criminal Court of Damascus sentenced the former Grand Mufti of Syria to life imprisonment. This was reported by Associated Press.
The court found him guilty of incitement to violence and justification of killings during the rule of Bashar al-Assad. The former mufti held this position from 2005 to 2021 and publicly supported the policies of the former Syrian authorities.
The presiding judge stated that official religious structures under Assad justified the use of barrel bombs against civilian areas. According to him, such actions led to large-scale destruction and violated the norms of international humanitarian law.
The former mufti was in custody and was personally present at the hearing. Judicial proceedings against representatives of the former government continue in Syria, with some human rights organizations expressing concerns about the pace of the proceedings and compliance with the principles of a fair trial.
Previously, the Union of Orthodox Journalists reported that Iran is raising $1.3 million for a sacrifice for the recovery of the ayatollah.
