A former Syrian military official has been sentenced to 60 years in a United States prison after being convicted of torturing detainees at a notorious Syrian prison during the rule of former President Bashar al-Assad.
Samir Ousman Alsheikh was sentenced on Thursday by a federal judge in Los Angeles, months after a jury found him guilty of conspiring to commit torture and three counts of torture. The offences were linked to his time overseeing Adra Prison in Syria between about 2005 and 2008.
During sentencing, the judge described the conduct attributed to Alsheikh as exceptionally cruel and violent. US prosecutors said Alsheikh used his position to suppress political opposition by ordering some detainees to be transferred to an isolated section of the prison, where they were subjected to torture.
Three former prisoners testified during the two-week trial, describing severe physical abuse. They told the court that detainees were beaten while being suspended from pipes for prolonged periods and subjected to a device that forced their bodies into a folded position. One witness testified that Alsheikh himself used the device during the abuse.
In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors argued that Alsheikh was aware that his actions were unlawful but nevertheless ordered and took part in the torture because he believed he would not face consequences.
Victims also provided statements detailing the long-term impact of their imprisonment and abuse. One survivor, Nidal Shikhani, recalled hearing fellow detainees crying out for help while they were being tortured.
Prosecutors had asked the court to impose a sentence of at least 80 years.
Alsheikh’s lawyers, Nina Marino and Collin Cate, had instead requested five years in prison, citing his age and what they described as significant medical and cognitive conditions. They also said he was prepared to return to Syria, where authorities have been pursuing individuals accused of abuses under the former government.
Alsheikh moved to the United States in 2020 and later applied for citizenship. US authorities accused him of concealing his previous role in Syria’s security system. He was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in July 2024.
In addition to the torture convictions, a jury found Alsheikh guilty of making false statements to US immigration officials, unlawfully obtaining a green card and attempting to secure US citizenship through fraudulent means. Heith Janke, assistant director of the FBI’s criminal division, said the evidence presented in court demonstrated the severity of the offences and praised the victims who testified against Alsheikh.
The case stems from alleged abuses during Assad’s rule, under which Syrian and international rights organisations documented widespread allegations of torture, arbitrary detention and other violations in government detention facilities.
Assad was removed from power in December 2024 following a rapid rebel offensive that ended his family’s decades-long rule. Syria has since experienced further violence, including deadly clashes between forces supporting the former government and the new authorities.
In March 2025, fighting along Syria’s coast led to retaliatory violence in which hundreds of civilians from the Alawite minority were reportedly killed.
On Thursday, Syrian courts also handed down sentences against three people over violence in Aleppo linked to the unrest. A pro-Assad fighter received a death sentence, another was jailed for life, while a member of government security forces convicted of murder was sentenced to 20 years.
