A Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced former ruler Bashar al-Assad to death after a trial in absentia, convicting him of atrocities committed during the country’s nearly 14-year civil war. The court also sentenced six former military and security officials in absentia to death including Assad’s brother Maher, who ran the army’s elite Fourth Division and also fled the country. - Torture -The court convicted the officials for crimes including murder, incitement to murder, torture leading to death and repeated deprivation of liberty, also considered “crimes against humanity” and “war crimes”. AdvertisementNajib, a cousin of Assad who was arrested in January last year, was convicted for crimes including murder, “the intentional killing of children under 15”, and “torture leading to death”. Assad took the Syrian presidency in 2000 after the death of his father Hafez.