DAMASCUS, (SANA)-President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday issued Legislative Decree No. 72 for 2011 granting general amnesty for crimes committed before June 20, 2011.

Article 1:

Granting general amnesty for crimes committed before June 20, 2011, according to the following:

A-Full punishment for the sentenced person infected with incurable disease before the issuance of this decree.

B-Full punishment for the crimes stipulated for in the legislative decree No. / 13 / for 1974.

C-Full punishment for the crimes mentioned in Article 43 of Law No. / 2 / for 1993.

D-Full punishment for misdemeanors stipulated for in Law No. / 2 / for 1993.

E-Full punishment for misdemeanors stipulated for in Penalties Law No. /148/ for 1949 and its amendments.

Article 2:

To benefit from the rule of Paragraph /5/ of the First Article of this Legislative Decree, there would be no private prosecution or personal claim or should be dropped even if it was dropped after the decision became final.

Article 3:

A- Minister of Justice forms, in coordination with Minister of Defense, the necessary medical committees to examine those who benefit from the rule of Paragraph /A/ of the First Article of this Legislative Decree.

B- Medical Committees' reports issued by a decision by Minister of Justice or Minister of Defense.

In a statement to SANA, Minister of Justice Judge Tayseer Qala Awwad said that the amnesty decree covers cases such as a full pardon for those suffering from terminal disease for all crimes except smuggling of arms and narcotics, in addition to providing pardon for the entire sentence duration for crimes of drug use and drug-related misdemeanors.

The Minister pointed out that only the most serious felonies against individuals and society were exempted from the pardon.

English Bulletin