Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a new legislative decree last Thursday, extending amnesty for certain crimes committed prior to the decree, subject to specific conditions. This action was immediately followed up by the release of 350 prisoners in Damascus, as announced by Judge Muhammad Eid Baloza.
The decree grants full amnesty to individuals suffering from incurable diseases, registered aged 70 or above at the time of the decree, and juvenile offenders undergoing correction and care measures. It also rescales some existing penalties: individuals sentenced to death will now face life imprisonment and those sentenced to life will thereafter have their sentence reduced.
Crimes leading to death or serious injury, smuggling of weapons or contraband, and individual fugitives resisting justice are not covered by the amnesty. However, the decree does make provision for fugitives who turn themselves in within the next six months.
Prior to this, President al-Assad had issued a general amnesty decree in December 2022, thereby pardoning crimes of desertion and certain misdemeanors committed earlier that year. However, Syrians who fled the country during the 2011 war, as well as draft dodgers, may still face prosecution upon their return, unless they surrender voluntarily.
To date, the president has not provided his reasoning behind this latest decree. Public response to this action also remains largely unobserved.
More details can be found on the original news post on the JURIST – News website.