A federal jury in Los Angeles has found a 73-year-old former Syrian prison director guilty of torture and immigration fraud. Samir Ousman Alsheikh ran Damascus Central Prison under the Assad regime and faces up to 20 years for each torture count.
A Los Angeles federal jury has found a former Syrian prison administrator guilty of torture charges, marking a significant legal victory in the pursuit of justice for Assad-era crimes, the U.S. Justice Department announced Monday.
Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 73, was found guilty on four counts including conspiracy to commit torture and three individual torture charges stemming from his time overseeing Damascus Central Prison, commonly called Adra Prison, according to federal prosecutors.
The defendant served as prison director from 2005 through 2008 and had entered a not guilty plea to all charges. Following Monday’s verdict, Alsheikh’s attorneys expressed their disappointment and stated that he “will pursue all appellate and post-trial relief.”
Federal prosecutors also secured convictions against Alsheikh for deceiving U.S. immigration officials about his criminal history, illegally securing permanent residency status, and making fraudulent attempts to become a naturalized American citizen.
The charges, filed in late 2024, alleged that Alsheikh directed prison staff to inflict serious physical and psychological harm on political detainees and other inmates. Federal authorities said he sometimes participated directly in these abusive acts.
According to the Justice Department, these torture practices were designed to suppress resistance to Assad’s government.
Court records show Alsheikh maintained various roles within Syria’s security establishment and held membership in Assad’s Syrian Ba’ath Party. In 2011, the now-deposed Syrian leader named him provincial governor of Deir Ez-Zour.
Each of the four torture-related convictions carries a potential 20-year prison sentence, while the immigration fraud charges could result in up to 10 years behind bars. Alsheikh will remain detained while awaiting sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled.
The Assad family’s control over Syria ended in late 2024 when rebel forces successfully completed a rapid military campaign. The country’s civil war, which lasted more than ten years, resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, created a massive refugee crisis, and devastated Syrian cities.
Current Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who previously commanded al Qaeda forces, assumed power following Assad’s removal and has worked to strengthen relationships with Western nations.