Syrian President Bashar al-Assad waves to supporters in the street after addressing parliament on March 30, 2011 in Damascus, Syria. Al-Assad ordered a committee to conduct an investigation into the deaths of protesters and also to study the lifting of emergency laws. UPI |
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HOMS, Syria, April 20 (UPI) -- Calm fell over the Syrian city of Homs Wednesday, a day after violent protests, as anti-government protesters prepare for demonstrations Friday, witnesses said.
The uneasy quiet came a day after Syrian troops quelled one of the largest demonstrations yet by protesters in Homs, arresting opposition figure and former political prisoner Mahmoud Issa hours after the Syrian cabinet approved a bill to rescind a half-century emergency rule, The New York Times reported.
"The city is still mourning its dead," a political activist told the Times. "There are security forces everywhere, in every corner of the city and it is not clear what is going to happen, but we are preparing for demonstrations on Friday."
At least two people were killed Tuesday when troops cleared Homs' Clock Square of protesters staging a sit-in, activists said. Witnesses in the country's third-largest city said security forces opened fire early Tuesday to disperse the crowd of about 5,000 demonstrators who began occupying the square Monday after funerals for a dozen protesters reportedly killed by security forces during the weekend.
While rescinding emergency rule, the cabinet imposed new measures banning any kind of public protest against the regime of President Bashar Assad and permitting midnight arrests, reported Debkafile.com, a Web site run by former members of Israeli military intelligence.
Pro-democracy demonstrations were reported in Baniyas, Damascus and other areas after the emergency rule was rescinded, the BBC reported. The revocation must now be signed by Assad, but observers said that was a formality.
The new law requires permission from the Interior Ministry for demonstrations in Syria.
Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim al-Shaar told people "to refrain from taking part in all marches, demonstrations or sit-ins under any banner whatsoever," warning that the laws "will be applied in the interest of the safety of the people and the stability of the country."
Activists and human rights groups estimate about 200 Syrians have died in weeks of unrest challenging Assad's regime.
Debkafile.com also reported that Assad persuaded Turkey, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon to close their borders to halt the smuggling of arms and provocateurs to Syrian opposition groups, as well as to prevent refugees from fleeing Syria.
