The former grand mufti of Syria, Ahmad Hassoun, appeared before the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus on Thursday, charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity, incitement to murder, and other criminal offenses, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
Role in Assad Regime and Civil War
Hassoun, 77, served as grand mufti from 2005 until 2021 and was a staunch supporter of the Bashar Assad regime. During Syria's 13-year civil war, he used his Friday sermons and public appearances to justify and support the regime's brutal crackdown against civilians. The conflict killed more than 580,000 people and forcibly displaced 13 million, according to the UN.
He became known among Syrians as the “barrel bomb Mufti” in reference to the military tactic of dropping barrels stuffed with high explosives and shrapnel on civilians from aircraft. His position became largely ineffective after the Assad regime shifted authority to the ministry of endowments in 2018.
Arrest and Trial Proceedings
Hassoun was arrested in March 2025 while trying to flee to Jordan through Damascus International Airport. The trial session was attended by Syria’s Attorney General Hassan al-Turba and representatives from local and international human rights organizations.
This trial is among several others that have started in recent months to try military and high-ranking civilian figures over involvement in crimes against Syrians under Assad, who fled to Russia in December 2024.
