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Bashar al-Assad’s recent amnesty decree is the 24th of its kind. Like all previous ones, it gives no guarantee for safe return to Syrians.

Since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in 2011, Syria has faced in continuous political and humanitarian crises. Over the years, it has become evident that Bashar al-Assad’s regime has no intention to alter its approach or engage in a political process that leads to a comprehensive and sustainable resolution.

One of its primary tools for manipulating the political landscape has been the issuance of decrees granting amnesty to political prisoners and men of conscription age who have avoided forced military service. It presents these decrees as reconciliatory steps but this is far from the truth.

Legislative Decree 27, issued on September 22 is the 24th such order since the onset of the Syrian Revolution and reflects the regime’s ongoing strategy of evasion of political pressure and procrastination on making substantial political concessions to achieve a political solution.

Al-Assad utilises these decrees as a means to deceive the international community that he is making an effort towards stability and reconciliation.

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