Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Issues General Amnesty Decree Amidst Ongoing Criticism
On Sunday, Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria, announced a new "general amnesty" aimed at addressing crimes of desertion and misdemeanors committed before September 22, 2024. The decree, reported by the official Syrian news agency SANA, seeks to absolve individuals who fled military service and other offenses under the Military Penal Code.
The decree outlines a full pardon for internal and external desertion crimes but notably excludes individuals labeled as fugitives unless they surrender within specified time frames—three months for internal desertion and four months for external. Additionally, while the amnesty covers a range of misdemeanors, it does not extend to serious offenses such as bribery, forgery, and attacks on public morals.
Compensation for victims is mandated in cases involving attacks on property, and the decree clarifies that personal claims remain subject to judicial review. This latest amnesty follows a pattern of similar decrees issued by al-Assad over the years, yet skepticism remains regarding their actual implementation.
Human rights groups and the Syrian opposition have repeatedly condemned these amnesty declarations, citing the continued detention and forced disappearance of tens of thousands of individuals in regime prisons since the onset of the Syrian revolution in March 2011. The last such decree prior to this was issued on November 16, 2023, raising further concerns about the regime's commitment to genuine reform and accountability.
