A picture taken on April 16, 2013, shows destruction in the Umayyad Mosque complex in the old part of Syria's northern city of Aleppo. President Bashar al-Assad declared a "general amnesty" on Tuesday.
DAMASCUS: President Bashar Al Assad declared a general amnesty yesterday as the conflict ravaging Syria showed no signs of abating, with Western and Russian differences proving unbridgeable.
Under the latest decree, troops who deserted but did not fight against the regime may be pardoned if they surrender within a month, state news agency SANA reported.
“President Assad has issued decree number 23, granting a general amnesty for crimes committed before April 16, 2013,” said the agency.
But there were important exceptions to the types of crime it covers.
The amnesty is applicable to just one crime classified under the Terrorism Act, namely failing to inform the authorities about rebel activity.
Other acts such as possessing leaflets that encourage “terrorism” and taking up arms against the regime are not covered.
“Army deserters may be pardoned, if those still in Syria hand themselves in within 30 days, and those outside Syria hand themselves in within 90 days,” said the decree.
Under the decree, “the death penalty will be replaced with a life sentence of hard labour,” said SANA, stipulating that “those who financed terrorist groups or who committed terrorist acts that led to death and destruction are not covered”.
AFP
