Assad offers political prisoners amnesty

DAMASCUS, Syria, June 1 (UPI) -- Syrian President Bashar Assad has announced plans to pardon "all political prisoners" in Syrian jails.

The move, an effort to appease anti-government protesters, comes as a 57-page report published by Human Rights Watch Wednesday accused Syria of committing crimes against humanity.

Titled "Syria Crimes Against Humanity in Daraa," the report accuses the Damascus government of "systematic killings and tortures by Syrian security forces in the city of Daraa," since protests began there March 18. The organization "strongly suggests that these qualify as crimes against humanity," the report based on more than 50 interviews with victims and witnesses said.

Syrian state-run news agency SANA reported Tuesday night Assad declared Legislative Decree 61 that would "grant general amnesty for crimes committed before May 31."

Freeing all political prisoners has been a key demand by opposition officials in Syria who view the move as an opening toward national dialogue in an effort to steer the country out of the crisis, The National reported Wednesday.

If the government follows through and all political prisoners are released, it will be a "highly significant move," an unnamed Syrian political analyst told the newspaper.

"The amnesty includes all members of Muslim Brotherhood and other detainees belonging to political movements," SANA said, noting it would address all crimes committed before May 31.

The death penalty would be replaced by life sentences with hard labor and life sentences would be replaced with 20 years imprisonment and hard labor, the news agency said.