NORTH AND EAST SYRIA: Syrian Democratic Council issues amnesty for hundreds of prisoners

As part of efforts to resolve the critical issue of detainees and relieve pressure on overcrowded prison camps in the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) of North and East Syria, and to promote justice and re-socialization, the DAA’s Committee of Detainees and Social Justice Council advised to grant hundreds of prisoners amnesty and for them to be released.

The decision for amnesty came about in coordination with leaders of Arab tribes and local councils of the region and was issued by and announced during a press conference by the DAA’s governing Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) in the city of Zalin (Qamishli).

According to the SDC, ISIS members who were released under the amnesty have repented and had “no blood on their hands”. Crimes such as honor killings, drug trafficking, treason, espionage, and acts of violence and terrorism by members of jihadist organizations will not be released under the amnesty but are eligible for a reduction of jail sentences to half their sentence and life imprisonment is reduced to 20 years in prison.

631 persons were released on the day of the announcement of the amnesty. Some 253 more prisoners are possibly to be released under the amnesty.