A federal jury in Los Angeles has returned guilty verdicts against a former senior Syrian official for crimes related to the treatment of detainees under the Assad government, the U.S. Justice Department said.
Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 73, was convicted on one count of conspiracy to commit torture and three counts of torture for his role in the abuse of prisoners at Adra Prison in Damascus - commonly referred to as Damascus Central Prison - according to a Justice Department statement. The jury also found him guilty of making false statements to U.S. immigration authorities, of fraudulently obtaining a green card, and of attempting to naturalize as a U.S. citizen.
Alsheikh, who ran the prison from 2005 until 2008, had pleaded not guilty, as indicated in court filings. His attorneys did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment following the verdict, the department said.
Prosecutors, in the criminal case brought late in 2024, alleged that Alsheikh ordered subordinates to inflict severe physical and mental suffering on political and other prisoners, and that he was at times personally involved in such acts. The Justice Department described the purpose of the torture as an effort to deter opposition to the Assad government.
The department further noted Alsheikh's affiliations within the Syrian state apparatus. He held positions in the state security apparatus and was associated with the Syrian Ba'ath Party during the Assad era. Prosecutors added that Alsheikh was appointed governor of the province of Deir Ez-Zour by the ousted leader in 2011.
Under the federal statutes cited by prosecutors, Alsheikh faces significant potential penalties. The Justice Department said each of the three counts of torture, as well as the conspiracy count, carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The immigration-related convictions - the false statements, the fraudulent green card procurement, and the attempted naturalization charge - each carry a maximum of 10 years in prison. Alsheikh will remain in U.S. custody while the court determines a sentencing date.
The conviction arrives against the backdrop of upheaval in Syria. Syrian rebels ended more than 50 years of Assad family rule in late 2024 after a rapid advance, according to the information provided. The prolonged civil war that preceded that shift resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, a refugee crisis, and widespread destruction in Syrian cities.
Following Bashar al-Assad's ouster, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa - described in the available record as a former al Qaeda commander - assumed leadership and has sought to improve relations with Western countries, the Justice Department's account said.
The U.S. department's announcement did not specify a sentencing date, only that Alsheikh will remain detained pending that court determination. The criminal case and the jury's verdict mark a rare instance of a U.S. federal prosecution focused on alleged abuses committed by a foreign official during his tenure abroad, linked to immigration and naturalization fraud alleged to have occurred after his arrival in the United States.
Procedural note - The Justice Department issued the statement reporting the convictions. The available public record indicates Alsheikh was charged near the end of 2024 and that he had denied wrongdoing in court filings.