Syrian man to be hanged for harrowing murder of eight-year-old girl, in first death sentence since Assad ouster

Warning: This story contains disturbing details about the sexual assault and murder of a minor that some may find distressing.

A court in northeast Syria has sentenced a man to death by hanging after finding him guilty of raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl.

Youssef al-Dahham, 25, was convicted of raping and murdering the child in the village of Muhkan in Deir az-Zour governorate.

Security forces announced on 13 August the arrest of Dahham, who reportedly confessed to the crime after interrogation.

The crime dates back to August, when Dahham snatched the girl outside her home, raped and murdered her.

He then burnt her body, initially hiding it in a water tank, before throwing it in a canal.

The interior ministry reported that the perpetrator confessed to luring the child to his home, suggesting he knew her family, before her murder.

The incident outraged Syrians in the region who demanded swift accountability.

Many people online celebrated news of the verdict and Dahham's sentencing, the first instance of a death sentence being handed down in Syria since the Assad regime was toppled last year.

Parts of Syria have suffered from lawlessness and insecurity since the outbreak of the Syrian war, but government forces are working to restore order.

Deir az-Zour Public Prosecutor Qassem Muhammad al-Hamid said the case was referred to the Criminal Court after he called for expedited proceedings, the justice ministry said in a video published on Facebook Tuesday.

Three sessions were held before the court issued its verdict.

Dahham was also ordered to pay 200 million Syrian pounds (around $16,800) in compensation to the girl’s relatives, to be distributed among them in accordance with Islamic sharia law.

The court also imposed additional fees for administrative and military expenses and confirmed the confiscation of the instruments used in the crime once the ruling becomes final, noting that the decision can be appealed before the Court of Cassation.