Former Syrian official sentenced to 60 years in US for torture
A US court sentenced ex-Syrian official Samir Osman Sheikh to 60 years for torture and immigration fraud related to abuses at Adra prison.
Key Takeaways
AIA US judge has sentenced Samir Osman Sheikh, a former Syrian government official who headed Damascus Central Prison during the rule of ousted president Bashar Assad, to 60 years in prison after convicting him on torture-related charges.
A jury found Sheikh, 74, guilty in March 2024 of conspiracy to commit torture and three counts of torture, for his involvement in the abuse of prisoners at the notorious Adra prison in Damascus.
The US Department of Justice stated that Sheikh was also convicted of lying to immigration authorities about his crimes, fraudulently obtaining a green card, and attempting to acquire US citizenship.
Federal Judge Hernán Vera handed down the sentence in Los Angeles on Thursday. Prosecutors said Sheikh ordered subordinates to inflict physical and psychological pain on prisoners to suppress opposition to Assad’s government, and at times personally took part in the abuses.
The Justice Department noted that Sheikh, who held several positions in Syrian security agencies, is the highest-ranking former Assad government official to be tried and convicted outside Syria.