Atef Najib

Atef Najib

Switzerland SwitzerlandpoliticianMale1.7Global Dominance: 0.01%

Atef Najib is a former Syrian intelligence officer who held significant power during the regime of Bashar al-Assad. He is notably the cousin of President Assad and was involved in various high-profile cases of repression and human rights abuses in Syria. Najib has been a controversial figure, particularly due to his role in the violent crackdown on dissent during the Syrian uprising that began in 2011. He has been linked to numerous incidents of state-sponsored violence and is seen by many as a symbol of the authoritarian practices of the Assad regime. His recent appearance in news reports relates to ongoing court proceedings involving figures from the previous regime, highlighting the continuing impact of Syria's tumultuous political landscape.

Power7,192
Reach448,539

Country presence

Recent news mentions

Atef Najib was the only defendant present in court and was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity.

Tribunal sírio condena Bashar al-Assad à morte à revelia por crimes de guerra
Expresso das Ilhas – Cape Verdean newspaper & portal·Cabo VerdeCabo Verde· 2026-08-11
1.0

Atef Najib was also sentenced to death for systematic mass murder and arbitrary arrests.

Syrien: Ex-Präsident Baschar al-Assad in Abwesenheit zum Tode verurteilt - Politik
Süddeutsche Zeitung·GermanyGermany· 2026-08-11
2.0

Atef Najib was convicted of overseeing a crackdown in the southern province of Daraa that led to the uprising and later the civil war.

Former Syrian President al-Assad sentenced to death in absentia
The Globe and Mail·CanadaCanada· 2026-08-11
1.0

The court also sentenced Atef Najib, Assad’s cousin and the former head of political security in Daraa, to death.

Syrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia for war crimes | Syria
The Guardian·United KingdomUnited Kingdom· 2026-08-11
1.0

Atef Najib, Bashar al-Assad's cousin and former head of the political security department in Daraa, was also sentenced to death.

Fostul președinte al Siriei, Bashar al-Assad, a fost condamnat la moarte, după ce a fost găsit vinovat de crime de război și crime împotriva umanității
Ziarul de Gardă·MoldovaMoldova· 2026-08-11
1.0
Also mentioned
Bashar Al Assad
Bashar Al Assad

Atef Najib, a security official during Bashar al-Assad's regime, has also been sentenced to death.

عدالت نے سابق صدر بشار الاسد کو سزائے موت سنا دی
Daily Jang·PakistanPakistan· 2026-08-11
2.0

Atef Najib has been charged with violations of Syrian criminal law and international law for his actions during the civil war.

Ein Opfer des Asad-Regimes spricht über die schleppende Aufarbeitung
Neue Zürcher Zeitung·SwitzerlandSwitzerland· 2026-07-20
1.0

Atef Najib is mentioned as one of the figures from the previous Syrian regime currently facing public trials.

ارتفاع حصيلة ضحايا تفجير دمشق إلى 6 قتلى و22 جريحًا .. صور
Youm7·EgyptEgypt· 2026-07-02
5.0