Syria’s ‘Barrel Bomb Mufti’ Ahmad Hassoun Gets Life Sentence

Syria’s former grand mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun was sentenced to life in prison on Monday after a Damascus court convicted him of inciting violence, justifying killings and abusing his position during the rule of ousted President Bashar Assad.

Hassoun, who served as Syria’s top Muslim cleric from 2005 until the post was abolished in 2021, was a strong supporter of Assad’s government. The Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus found him guilty of several charges linked to the nearly 14 year civil war.

Judge Fakhreddine al Aryan said Hassoun and the official religious establishment under Assad had helped provide religious cover for military and security operations. The court said his teachings had justified the use of barrel bombs against civilian areas, which caused widespread destruction and violated international humanitarian law.

The court also handed Hassoun separate prison terms, including 20 years for inciting killings and 10 years for prolonging the violence. His money and property will be confiscated for the public treasury, while he has been barred from receiving any general or special amnesty. He was also ordered to provide compensation to some victims.

Hassoun was arrested in March 2025 at Damascus airport after emerging from hiding. His trial began on June 25 and reached its final stage earlier this month after prosecutors, lawyers and the defendant presented their closing arguments.

The ruling makes Hassoun the 10th Assad era figure sentenced by Syria’s new authorities, according to reports. It comes less than two weeks after a Damascus court sentenced Assad, his brother Maher and several senior officials to death in absentia over killings, torture and other crimes committed during the war.

The cases are part of Syria’s wider effort to hold former regime figures accountable after Assad was ousted in December 2024. Human Rights Watch has welcomed efforts to pursue accountability but warned that the trials raise serious questions about whether Syria’s legal system can provide independent, impartial and inclusive justice.

Syria’s war began in 2011 after a government crackdown on anti Assad protests. The conflict lasted nearly 14 years, killed about 500,000 people and displaced more than half of Syria’s prewar population of around 23 million.