An official who ran a prison during the Bashar al-Assad era has been sentenced to 60 years in prison in the US

An official who ran a prison during the era of Bashar al-Assad has been sentenced to 60 years in prison in the US

An official who ran a prison in Damascus during the era of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been sentenced to 60 years in prison in the United States.

Samir Ousman Al-Sheikh, now 74 years old, was charged in 2024. He was accused of torturing prisoners at the Adra prison in Damascus and was found guilty of conspiracy to commit torture and three counts of torture.

Al-Sheikh was also found guilty of lying to US immigration authorities about his crimes, fraudulently obtaining a green card, and attempting to obtain US citizenship. The sentence against him was handed down on September 17 by US District Judge Hernan Vera in Los Angeles.

According to the US Department of Justice, Al-Sheikh, who held various positions in the state security system, is the highest-ranking former official of the Assad government to be personally tried and convicted outside of Syria.

Al-Sheikh's lawyers had requested a five-year prison sentence for him. In March, they said they were "disappointed" by their client's conviction. Al-Sheikh, who ran the Adra prison from 2005 to 2008, had previously denied the charges against him.

Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow with several close associates and his family in December 2024 as rebel forces approached Damascus. Syria demanded his extradition from the Kremlin to stand trial, but was refused. Bashar al-Assad and his cousins Atef Najib and Waseem Assad have been sentenced to death in absentia. Additionally, the former Syrian president's brother, Maher al-Assad (who, like his brother, lives in Russia), has also been sentenced to death in absentia for premeditated murder and torture.