The Syrian president pardons a number of criminals and scraps the death penalty for offences committed before April 16.
Syria's President Bashar al Assad has issued a general amnesty
for crimes committed in the war-torn country until now ahead of a national
holiday.
"President Assad has issued decree number 23, granting a general amnesty for
crimes committed before April 16, 2013," said the state news agency SANA.
Under the decree, "the death penalty will be replaced with a life sentence of
hard labour", it added.
http://news.sky.com/story/1078737/syria-assad-issues-amnesty-for-criminals