Cairo/Damascus, March 31 (DPA) Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has set up a committee to look into lifting the decades-old emergency law, state media reported Thursday.
The ruling Baath party imposed the law when it came to power in 1963.
The party Thursday formed a committee of lawyers to ‘study and draw up legislation that secures the preservation of the country’s security, the dignity of citizens and combating terrorism in preparation for lifting the state of emergency’, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.
The task is to be completed before April 25, according to SANA.
The announcement came a day after al-Assad addressed the nation for the first time since the start of a wave of anti-government protests calling for reforms began March 15.
His statement that foreign conspirators were behind the unrest and his failure to announce reforms, or repeal the emergency law drew an angry response from the activists leading the protests.
The activists have been demanding the removal of the emergency law, which gives the government sweeping powers to stifle the opposition and ban demonstrations, through a broad interpretation of what constitutes a threat to ‘security’ or ‘weakens national sentiment’.
According to Human Rights Watch, at least 73 protesters have been killed by security forces since the protests began. No official figures have been released.
