Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Sunday issued a decree to release or decrease the punishment of various prisoners, including some detained under the war-torn country's "terrorism law". The so-called "general amnesty" is the latest in a line of such decrees, including one in 2014 that saw thousands released. Sunday's decree also promised to reduce sentences of some detainees.

It would include freeing some prisoners detained under a 2012 "terrorism law", using a catch-all term for anti-government activists, rebels and jihadists. Those imprisoned under the 2012 law over "conspiracy" or failing to inform the authorities of an act of "terrorism" are to be released, according to the decree. Exceptions aside, prisoners sentenced to death are instead to serve life in jail with hard labour. Those sentenced to a life of hard labour are instead to work for 20 years, and those handed a life sentence are to do time for 20 years instead.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2019