<p>DAMASCUS, Syria &mdash; Syrian President Bashar Assad issued a decree Sunday granting amnesty and reducing sentences for several categories of crime committed before May 2, state news agency SANA said.</p>
<p>SANA did not give a reason for the amnesty but it came days before Muslims celebrate Eid el-Fitr, the feast that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. It also comes ahead of the May 26 presidential elections, which Assad will most likely win for a fourth, seven-year term in office. </p>
<p>Since Syria’s conflict began in 2011, Assad has issued similar amnesties, the latest of which came in September 2019. The conflict has killed half a million people and displaced half the country’s prewar population including more than 5 millions who are refugees abroad.</p>
<p>SANA described Sunday’s presidential decree as “the most comprehensive amnesty decree for perpetrators of crimes, misdemeanors and felonies.”</p>
<p>The decree granted a complete pardon for the punishment for crimes and felonies including smuggling, drug abuse, and foreign currency trading.</p>
<p>It also covers kidnappings, provided that the kidnapped person was released before the date of the amnesty safe and sound.</p>
<p>The decree also allowed a general amnesty for military deserters who turn themselves in within 3 months for those inside the country, and 6 months for those outside the country.</p>
<p>The decree reduced the death penalty to life imprisonment with hard labor, and life imprisonment with hard labor to temporary hard labor for a period of 20 years.</p>
<p>The decree did not include an amnesty for the crimes of weapons smuggling, treason, espionage, consorting with the enemy, and terrorism crimes resulting in deaths.</p>