A Syrian military court has handed down sentences ranging from two months in prison to the death penalty against several defendants, including defence ministry personnel, over violations committed during deadly violence along the country’s coast in March 2025.
The Military Criminal Court in Aleppo sentenced al-Waddah Ismail and Maher Ali to death at a hearing at the city’s Justice Palace on Thursday, state-run Alikhbaria TV reported.
The court convicted both men of acts intended to “provoke civil war and sectarian fighting” and of leading armed groups to attack government forces, the broadcaster quoted the presiding judge as saying.
A third defendant, Maher Othman, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, though the court did not immediately specify the charges on which he was convicted.
In rulings involving defence ministry personnel, Mohammed Bakour, a member of the ministry’s 82nd Division, received a 20-year prison sentence for intentional homicide.
Captain Mustafa Shannan and Khaled Muhaimeed, both from the 54th Division, were each sentenced to two years in prison for involvement in torture. Another ministry member, Mahmoud Shaheen, received a two-month sentence for causing bodily harm.
The court acquitted Abdul Raouf Bakr Jan and Mohammed Louay Zarzouri, members of the 50th and 54th divisions respectively, of intentional homicide charges “due to insufficient evidence”.
Widespread abuses against civilians
The rulings are part of proceedings against former regime members and personnel serving under Syria’s current defence ministry accused of violations during the coastal violence.
The violence erupted in March 2025 after armed groups loyal to ousted president Bashar al Assad attacked government security forces in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, triggering clashes and widespread abuses against civilians.
The violence killed hundreds of civilians and security forces personnel.
Public trials began at Aleppo’s Justice Palace in November 2025, with defendants facing charges including incitement to sectarian strife, homicide, theft and attacks on security forces.
On September 17, the same court sentenced one defendant to death, another to life in prison and a third to 20 years, while acquitting a fourth.
