Syrian court issues death, prison sentences for 2025 coastal violence

A Syrian military criminal court in the northern city of Aleppo sentenced one defendant to death Thursday, another to life imprisonment and a third to 20 years for deadly violence in the coastal region in 2025.

A fourth defendant was acquitted.

State-run Alikhbariah TV broadcast the proceedings from Aleppo’s Justice Palace.

Judge Zakaria Bakkar, head of the Military Criminal Court, presided over the sentencing hearings in the presence of judicial authorities.

The rulings covered four of seven defendants, with verdicts for the remaining three expected at a later date, said the channel.

Public trials in the coastal violence case began at Aleppo’s Justice Palace on Nov. 18, 2025.

At the time, 14 defendants were put on trial. Seven faced charges, including incitement to sectarian strife, theft and attacks on security and army personnel, while seven others faced charges of theft and murder.

The coastal region, particularly Latakia and Tartus provinces, witnessed deadly violence in March 2025 that left thousands of civilians and military personnel dead or injured, and prompted judicial proceedings as well as local and international investigations.