Syria’s President has ratified an end to the country’s 50-year-old state of emergency.
Thursday’s move was a formality after the government abolished the emergency laws two days ago.
President Bashar Assad is trying to calm angry protests against his authoritarian rule by issuing a series of concessions. The emergency law allowed the regime a free hand to arrest people without charge.
Mr. Assad also has launched a brutal crackdown on increasingly large demonstrations.
Activists say at least 200 people have been killed in the government crackdown since the protests erupted last month.