Al‑Sharaa issues amnesty for convicted criminals, excludes those who violated Syrians’ rights
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- Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa issues general amnesty for many convicts, excluding those guilty of abuses against Syrians.
Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa has issued a general amnesty decree that grants clemency to a broad range of people convicted of criminal and misdemeanor offenses, as well as certain age‑ and health‑related groups, but explicitly excludes those responsible for serious abuses against Syrians, officials said.
Details of the decree
The decree, published by Syrian state media and identified as Decree No. 39 of 2026, applies to crimes committed before the date of its issuance. It reduces life sentences to fixed prison terms of 20 years, and eliminates penalties for many misdemeanors and infractions. It also cancels penalties for select felony offenses under laws such as drug control, currency regulations, and the smuggling of state‑subsidized goods.
Among those eligible for full or partial pardon are people aged 70 or older and those suffering from a terminal, incurable illness, even if their crimes normally would not qualify, provided they are not among the excluded categories.
Conditions and exceptions
The decree outlines conditions for certain offenses: for example, individuals convicted under the weapons and ammunition law can be pardoned if they surrender the weapons to authorities within three months of the decree’s announcement.
However, authorities excluded from the amnesty those convicted of crimes involving serious human rights violations against the Syrian people, as well as offenses under the law criminalizing torture. Officials said these exclusions reaffirm the government’s commitment to law and order.
Political context
This is the first general amnesty issued by President al‑Sharaa since he assumed power in late 2024 after the ousting of former President Bashar al‑Assad, who had occasionally issued similar pardons during his time in office. The current government has also arrested and begun prosecuting dozens of individuals accused of ties to the previous regime and violations against Syrians.
