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kileyrae:

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has offered amnesty to anyone accused of crimes in connection with the last 10 months of anti-government unrest and resulting violence.

Assad has made similar decrees on three previous occasions in May, June and November. Sunday’s announcement was made on the official SANA news agency and broadcast on state television.

Since the outbreak of the uprising against Assad’s rule in March, Assad has freed 3,952 prisoners, according to SANA. The opposition claims there are thousands more in Syrian prisons and said that 26 people had died on Sunday, including a policeman and soldier killed by security forces for refusing to fire on protesters.

The new amnesty decree was granted “for crimes committed in the context of the events taking place since March 15, 2011, till the date of issuing the decree”, SANA reported.

It encompasses those who have peacefully demonstrated, evaded Syria’s military draft or carried unlicensed weapons and ammunition. But the “fugitives” covered by the decree must turn themselves in to authorities by January 31, SANA said.

The United Nations estimates at least 5,000 people have been killed since initially peaceful protests against Assad’s government were met by a brutal security crackdown, sparking an ongoing armed conflict in which both the military and the opposition - which includes army defectors - have conducted attacks.

(via Al Jazeera)

Source: kileyrae