21/06/2011 17:16
Syrian president orders new amnesty
Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has ordered a new general amnesty for all crimes committed in the country up until June 20, the SANA news agency reported.
The president ordered a reprieve on May 31 for all political prisoners in the country, including members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Hundreds of detainees were released, according to rights groups.
The new amnesty was another apparent attempt to calm months of protests against Assad’s rule.
Unofficial figures say more than 1000 people have died in Syria since the conflict there started in mid-March.