A Damascus court has sentenced deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to death.

The same court sentenced his cousin Atef Najib, a former lieutenant colonel, to death. Najib served as head of the political security directorate in Daraa province and was known for ordering the violent crackdown and arrest of boys who painted graffiti in 2011, the event that sparked the Syrian revolution.

The verdict found Najib responsible for crimes against humanity and war crimes. He is also accused of torturing detainees and has denied all allegations.