The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Following release of detainees | Chaos and crowds in Syrian capital and fear for fate of remaining detainees

SOHR activists have monitored the continuous release of Syrian detainees for the second day, 24 hours after the presidential pardon off terroristic crimes on April 30.

According to reliable SOHR sources, the releases will continue until next June and is supposed to include thousands of detainees in accordance of the legislative law No. 7 which stipulates “granting amnesty to individuals involved in “terrorist crimes” committed before April 30, 2022, except for crimes which led to the death of any civilians.”

This comes in light of the security chaos intentionally created by the regime, without providing a list of names for the detainees released by the Ministry of Justice responsible for applying the legislative law, and without providing a list of names for those not included in the pardon, or those who were killed in regime prisons and their death hasn’t been announced.

Following the continuous release of detainees, hundreds of civilians gathered under Jesr Al-Ra’es (president’s bridge) in the centre of the capital Damascus, waiting for the arrival of batches of detainees to identify them and ask their families about them, meanwhile a large portion of prisoners was released with amnesia. The nearby streets and gardens were overcrowded tumbling the traffic movement in the Syrian capital.

According to the Syrian Observatory, the security services have released nearly 150 detainees in the last 48 hours from various Syrian provinces. The streets of the capital, Damascus, Jisr Al-Raees, Al-Midan district, Sayadnaya city and Adra city have witnessed large gatherings of relatives of detainees who have been arrested in regime’s prisons for years.
Yesterday, SOHR activists reported that a new batch of detainees in regime prisons was released.
According to reliable SOHR sources, 87 prisoners were released from different prisons in Syria, including ones who have been detained for over 10 years.
Reliable sources had informed Syrian Observatory that a batch of detainees in regime prisons was released under the pardon issued by the Syrian regime’s president on Saturday. The decision stipulates granting amnesty to individuals involved in “terrorist crimes” committed before April 30, 2022, except for crimes which led to the death of any civilians.
According to SOHR sources, the number of detainees who were released remained unknown, as SOHR successively obtains lists of the names of those who have been released. However, SOHR was able to verify the release of nearly 60 prisoners from various Syrian provinces so far. It is worth noting that some released detainees had been arrested ten years ago.
On the other hand, the regime security services informed the members of Al-Baath Party in regime-held areas that a large number of detainees would be released in the incoming hours under the presidential decree. It was expected that thousands of detainees in regime prisons will be released.
The Syrian Observatory warned of Bashar Al-Assad’s attempts to polish his image in front of the international community and to dodge crimes and blatant violations committed in his prisons since 2011 through the issuance of this pardon, especially since this pardon coincides with the successive international reports on the issue of violations and torture committed against detainees in regime prisons and pressure imposed by human rights organisations.
According to SOHR statistics, over 105,000 people died under unbelievable brutal torture in regime prisons since the beginning of the Syrian Revolution.
On Saturday, SOHR activists reported that the head of the Syrian regime “Bashar Al-Assad” issued the legislative resolution No. 7 of 2022, which granted general amnesty for terrorist crimes committed by Syrians before 30/4/2022, except for those ones that led to the death of humans as stated in the anti-terrorism law No. 19 in 2012, and the penalty law stated in legislative resolution No. 148 in 1949 and its amendments.
This general amnesty did not cover personal right lawsuits, and the victims under any circumstances as long as they provided the case before the specialised civil court.
This is the first time where presidential pardon did not require the suspect to hand himself to justice, as stated in previous resolutions. Accordingly, the penalty completely droped off the suspects without being referred anywhere.
Syrians are thinking of releasing prisoners and detainees included in the new amnesty, as the Syrian regime considers most prisoners as terrorists according to the law No. 19 in 2012.