Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been sentenced to death in absentia over crimes linked to Syria’s civil war. Damascus: Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been sentenced to death in absentia by a criminal court in Damascus after being convicted of premeditated murder in connection with crimes committed during Syria’s 13-year civil war, according to reports. Assad held responsible for wartime crimesThe case against Assad relates to events during the Syrian civil war, with the charges reportedly including war crimes and crimes against humanity. His presidency was dominated by the civil war that erupted in 2011 following a government crackdown on pro-democracy protests linked to the Arab Spring. The death sentence against Assad represents a major judicial action by Syria’s transitional authorities against the former leadership.