Damascus Court Jails Former Grand Mufti Ahmad Hassoun for Life, Seizing Assets
Updated
Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Aug 24
Damascus Court Jails Former Grand Mufti Ahmad Hassoun for Life, Seizing Assets
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Aug 24
Summary
Damascus's Fourth Criminal Court sentenced former grand mufti Ahmad Hassoun to life imprisonment, barred him from any amnesty and ruled out conditional release or suspension.
The court said Hassoun committed acts aimed at inciting civil war and sectarian fighting, and classified the proven acts as crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Witnesses told the court Hassoun blackmailed some of them, took money to help secure detainees' release and maintained links to the former regime's security and military agencies.
The ruling also ordered the seizure of Hassoun's movable and immovable assets for the state treasury.
This is the third Damascus criminal-court verdict against Assad-era figures, after Brig. Gen. Atef Najib's conviction and a death sentence for Wasim al-Assad that is still subject to cassation.