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| Assad grants amnesty for crimes committed during unrest |
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Syria's state news agency SANA said the amnesty issued on Sunday covers those who have peacefully demonstrated, those who have carried unlicensed weapons and those who hand over their weapons to authorities before the end of January. It also applies to army deserters who fled military service if they turn themselves in before Jan. 31. It was not clear how many prisoners would be affected by Sunday's pardon. Since the outbreak of the unrest in March, President Assad has freed 3,952 prisoners, according to SANA. Last week, President Assad promised to hold a referendum on a new constitution in March. He also lashed out at foreign powers for attempting to destabilize Syria, criticizing the Arab League for its stance toward Damascus. “We will defeat this conspiracy,” Assad declared on Tuesday in a speech that lasted nearly two hours. The Syrian president said the Arab League's intervention is worse than international interference, Syrian media reported. He also cited the Syrian sovereignty as the most important issue for the Syrian nation. Assad blasted the 'foreign conspiracies' against the Syrian nation, saying that Syria will remain free and independent despite crisis. The Syrian president also described the events of the past months as regretful, saying that the recent unrest has been a serious test for Syria. Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March, with demonstrations being held both against and in favor of President Assad. Hundreds of people including the members of the security forces have been killed in the turmoil. The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of killing protesters. However, Damascus blames ''outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups'' for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad. Assad also dismissed reports of national division. “We will not be lenient against division,” he maintained.   Socialize this Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay in touch and receive all of TT updates right in your feed reader
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