A Syrian court on Tuesday handed a death sentence to Wassim al-Assad who appeared in the dock, a cousin of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad who was himself sentenced to death in absentia last week.

The 46-year-old relative of Assad was convicted over atrocities committed under the autocrat’s rule during the country’s nearly 14-year civil war.

Judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan said Assad’s cousin was convicted of multiple murders and “murder accompanied by torture and brutality … classified as crimes against humanity and war crimes”, adding that “he is therefore sentenced to death”.

Syria in April began proceedings against Bashar al-Assad and other officials accused of atrocities during the country’s civil war, which erupted with the brutal repression of pro-democracy protesters by the former authorities.

More than half a million people were subsequently killed and millions displaced, while tens of thousands disappeared.

The court found that Wassim al-Assad had formed two armed groups loyal to the former authorities that took part in deadly attacks near capital Damascus.