Bashar al-Assad Issues "General Amnesty" Decree with Exceptions and Conditions
September 22, 2024, 2:31 pm

بشار الأسد

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a decree today, Sunday, granting a "general amnesty" for all crimes committed prior to this date, with specific exceptions and conditions.

According to the state news agency "SANA," the decree stipulates that there will be a "general amnesty for the full sentence of those who committed internal and external desertion crimes as stipulated in the Military Penal Code." However, it does not include "those who are hiding from justice and fleeing unless they surrender themselves within three months for internal desertion and four months for external desertion."

The decree also includes "a general amnesty for the full penalty in misdemeanors and violations, except for certain offenses that constitute serious attacks on society and the state, such as bribery, some forms of forgery, and violations against public morals, as well as certain types of theft."

Furthermore, the "amnesty" excludes offenses outlined in building regulations, economic crimes, electricity theft, using fraudulent means to obtain communication services, consumer protection law violations, offenses related to organizing public examinations, forest violations, and dealing in currencies other than the Syrian pound.

The decree requires that in offenses involving attacks on personal property, the offender must compensate the victim and that the "amnesty" does not affect the personal rights lawsuit, which remains under the jurisdiction of the court handling the public rights case. The affected party has the right to file a lawsuit before the criminal court within one year from the date of the decree's issuance.

With this decree, the total number of "amnesty" decrees issued by Bashar al-Assad since the beginning of the revolution in March 2011 rises to 24.

Despite the high volume of amnesty decrees issued, none have succeeded in releasing detainees or those missing involuntarily. The Syrian Network for Human Rights affirms that the regime has released a total of 7,351 arbitrary detainees under these decrees, while approximately 135,253 detainees remain imprisoned.

In its report following the last amnesty decree in November 2023, the network noted that the percentage of those released does not exceed 5% of the total number of detainees and forcibly disappeared individuals held by the regime over the past 13 years, while the regime continues to carry out arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances without pause.

The network emphasized that all "amnesty" decrees exclude crimes directed against detainees and forcibly disappeared individuals, whether on a large or specific scale, aligning clearly with the objectives of the decree aimed at perpetrators of various misdemeanors and felonies of a criminal nature, rather than political ones.

Furthermore, the network stated, "The amnesty decrees issued by the regime do not carry provisions that enhance the hopes of detainees and their families; instead, they are filled with loopholes, exceptions, and conditions that void their content, posing a significant risk to those considering surrendering themselves during the legal timeframe provided by the decree in order to benefit from the amnesty, and contributing to the recruitment of more young people for military service, thus entangling them in the conflict."

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.