President Ahmad Al-Sharaa issued Legislative Decree No. 39 of 2026 on Wednesday, granting a broad general amnesty for crimes committed before its issuance while explicitly excluding “grave violations against the Syrian people.”
The decree—one of the most expansive since the fall of the former regime in December 2024—covers offenses committed prior to February 18, 2026.
Key Reductions and Exemptions
Life imprisonment and life internment are reduced to 20-year terms, except in felonies involving personal injury unless the victim waives their personal claim. All misdemeanors and infractions are fully pardoned. Full amnesty also applies to certain felonies under anti-narcotics, smuggling, and currency laws, provided they occurred before December 8, 2024.
A humanitarian clause grants complete exemption for inmates suffering from terminal illnesses or those aged seventy and above. Medical committees will review applications submitted within one month.
Conditions for Eligibility
Kidnappers may receive full amnesty if they released victims unharmed and without ransom before the decree—or within one month afterward. Prison escapees must surrender within sixty days to benefit from partial reductions. Weapons violations are covered only if arms are surrendered within three months.
Explicit Exclusions
Article 8 excludes a wide range of offenses, foremost among them “crimes involving grave violations against the Syrian people,” signaling an effort to prevent impunity for serious wartime abuses. Also excluded are crimes of torture, human trafficking, prostitution, narcotics trafficking, sexual offenses, murder, kidnapping, document forgery, and theft of public infrastructure.
Cases under review by the Supreme Judicial Council for invalidation of “unjust rulings” under Article 48 of the Constitutional Declaration are likewise exempt.
Implementation Framework
Fines and fees already collected will not be refunded. Penal fines tied to deprivation of liberty are included, while civil compensation owed to the state—such as building code or electricity violations—remains excluded.
The decree follows a series of legal measures adopted since the Constitutional Declaration, reflecting the government’s attempt to balance reconciliation with accountability. Legal experts note that the undefined scope of “grave violations” will likely be tested in the courts as implementation proceeds.
The decree takes immediate effect and will be published in the Official Gazette.
