Another Hollow Amnesty Will Not Solve Syria’s Detainee Crisis

By Human Rights Watch

Click to expand Image Syrian president Bashar al-Asad. © 2020 Sputnik via AP Photo On September 22, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a much-anticipated general amnesty, granting pardons for a range of crimes including military desertion and minor offenses. But the amnesty will bring no relief to thousands of Syrians unjustly detained for opposing Assad or participating in protests.Like its predecessors since 2011, the new decree does not cover individuals convicted of crimes that are “a serious assault on society and the state.” That means thousands detained for political opposition…

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