Amidst criticism of Syria's 'sham' presidential election, first lady Asma al-Assad stands by her man [PHOTOS]

DAMASCUS, Syria, June 4 (UPI) -- Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad joined her husband, President Bashar al-Assad, on Tuesday to cast their votes for the presidential election.

President Assad is almost guaranteed to win the election, which the U.S. and U.K. have dubbed "a sham" election that won't be recognized as valid.

The British-born Asma has been critiqued for continuing to support her husband and his regime during the country's protracted and bloody civil war. More than 150,000 have been killed and millions displaced during the three year-old conflict, mostly by the regime.

Asma joined her husband Tuesday appearing polished and happy, clad in a white blazer. A photo of her looking on as Bashar cast his ballot was posted to the regime's Instagram account.

The Instagram account was opened in July 2013, and features many photos of Asma at public appearances and in seemingly staged photos of her social outreach to victims of the conflict, raising the question of whether Syria's first lady is out of touch or complicit in her husband's propaganda machine.