A court in Syria has sentenced ex-President Bashar al-Assad to death for crimes he committed during the country’s civil war. The Criminal Court in Damascus on Tuesday found Mr al-Assad guilty of premeditated murder, Al Jazeera reports. Mr al-Assad, who has been in exile, allegedly in Russia, since his exit from office, was sentenced in absentia. Mr Najib was convicted of premeditated murder and torture. After the rebels ousted the government, Mr al-Assad and his brother, Maher al-Assad, fled to Russia and received political asylum.