Syria's President Bashar al-Assad heading a cabinet meeting in the Presidential palace in Damascus. (Photo: AFP /SANA)
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has issued a general amnesty for crimes committed in the war-torn country prior to Tuesday, state news agency SANA reported.
"President Assad has issued decree number 23, granting a general amnesty for crimes committed before April 16, 2013," said the agency.
Under the decree, "the death penalty will be replaced with a life sentence of hard labour," it added.
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