Syria gives 'amnesty' to arrested protesters

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Source: cnn

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree Tuesday granting amnesty to protesters arrested for various alleged crimes, state-run television said.

The amnesty includes "all of those who belong to various political movements including the Muslim Brotherhood," the alert on state TV said.

It applies to all crimes committed before Tuesday, the alert said.

The announcement comes after weeks of Syrian officials describing protesters as "terrorists" trying to destabilize the country.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/05/31/syria.unrest/index.html

[Uncle Joe]

1. That's a first step but Assad has miles to go.

To begin with peaceful protests should not be a crime and the armed forces responsible for firing on the people should be arrested and tried but I doubt any of that will take place so long as Assad is in power.

Syria needs to transition over to some form of democracy taking in to account all the political viewpoints of its' people.

Thanks for the thread, Viva_La_Revolution

[dipsydoodle]

2. Syria: Bashar al-Assad 'grants general amnesty'

Source: BBC News

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree granting a general amnesty, state media say.

The amnesty would cover political opposition movements, including the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, the reports said.

President Assad has faced months of protests against his rule.

Authorities have cracked down on demonstrators, killing more than 1,000 people and arresting at least 10,000 more, according to human rights groups.



Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13607770

[bemildred]

3. So one of the morons in Damascus noticed things are not going too well? nt

[pampango]

4. Aljazeera: Syrian president issues amnesty

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/05/2011531173212337652.html

Syrian president Bashar al Assad has issued a general amnesty aimed at calming 10 weeks of protests against his rule and a deadly military crackdown that has rocked the nation. The amnesty decree is believed to be a part of the overtures by the Syrian government to its opposition, largely seen as symbolic.

The amnesty announcement was also shrugged off by Syrian opposition activists gathered in Turkey to discuss democratic change and voice support for the revolt. "This measure is insufficient: we demanded this amnesty several years ago, but it's late in coming," activist Abdel Razak Eid told the AFP news agency. "We are united under the slogan: the people want the fall of the regime and all those who have committed crimes brought to account. Blood will not have been spilled in vain," he said.

The European Union last week slapped an assets freeze and travel ban on Assad himself, the latest in a string of sanctions against his regime. Stepping up pressure on Assad to halt weeks of relentless violence, the EU earlier this month imposed an arms embargo and targeted the president's innermost circle, including his brother and four cousins.

But it is also seen as an appeal to protesters, as one of their main demands has been the release of political prisoners, along with others such as curbing the power of Syrian security forces. "It is one of the most important demands because people are spending many years in prison because of their demands for the human rights of our people," Anwar Al Bunni, a lawyer and human rights activist in Syria who spent five years in jail before being released last week, told Al Jazeera. Bunni said that while amnesty for political prisoners is an important step, Syria needs to undergo many more changes.


nesty has been granted to all those politically criminalised before May 31

[dipsydoodle]

5. Syria: Bashar al-Assad 'grants general amnesty'

This thread has been combined with another thread.

Click here to read this message in its new location.