Syrian president issues general amnesty

Assad

DAMASCUS, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday issued a general amnesty involving crimes committed before March 22, state news agency SANA reported.

The presidential pardon excludes crimes of smuggling weapons and explosives as well as those who committed murders.

The amnesty will also not cover the fugitives.

Assad has issued many pardons during the nine-year-long Syrian war.

His last pardon was issued in September 2019.