‘Barrel bomb mufti’ Ahmad Hassoun handed life sentence in Syria trial

Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, a top Muslim religious official during ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s rule, has been sentenced to life in prison for crimes committed during the country’s nearly 14-year war.

The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus issued the ruling on Monday, finding Hassoun guilty of a range of crimes, including inciting violence, justifying killings and the abuse of his office.

Hassoun, who was Syria’s grand mufti between 2005 and 2021, was arrested at Damascus airport in March 2025, after he emerged from hiding a month earlier. His trial began on June 25.

More to come…