Syria declares partial amnesty for several offenses

DAMASCUS

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has promulgated a partial amnesty for offenses committed prior to Sept. 22, with local media suggesting that this amnesty extends to certain groups of refugees as well.

The Syrian state news agency SANA reported that the decree stipulates amnesty for "deserters, those in hiding and individuals evading justice, both domestically and abroad."

However, some offenses categorized as "serious attacks on society and the state," such as bribery, various forms of forgery, acts contravening public morality and certain thefts, are excluded from this amnesty. Nevertheless, the specific infractions encompassed by the term "serious attacks on society and the state" remain ambiguously defined.

Abdurrahman Mustafa, the head of the Syrian interim government, commented to a Turkish news agency that this decree ostensibly aims to convey to the international community the Syrian regime's commitment to national reconciliation and the alleviation of sanctions.

He clarified that the amnesty does not pertain to military and political opposition, nor does it apply to soldiers who have disarmed and defected from the army.

Local media further asserted that this partial amnesty is likely to include many men who have fled the conflict and evaded conscription.

Since the onset of the civil war in 2011, millions of Syrians have embarked on a migration to European nations. Türkiye currently hosts approximately 3.4 million Syrian refugees, making it home to the largest refugee population in the world.

In recent years, the country has intensified its efforts to combat illegal immigration, apprehending thousands of irregular migrants and human traffickers both overland and at sea each month.

The Syrian media reported that some cities in Syria are currently experiencing a surge in real estate buying and selling activities following earlier amnesty rumors.