Syria has lifted an emergency law that had been in force for 48 years following a spate of protests which included a violent overnight clash between the security forces and protesters in the city of Homs.
The official state-run news agency SANA also reported that the government had abolished the state security court — an unpopular institution where political prisoners faced trials. A new law has been passed that allows the right to peaceful protests. Syria's emergency law had armed the government with pervasive powers, including making summary arrests, as well as a license to intrude in all aspects of a citizen's life. However, the Interior Ministry has also passed a law that makes it mandatory for citizens to obtain permission to demonstrate, SANA said.
Analysts say that Tuesday's decision is “substantial” and it fulfils a major demand of the protesters, who have been seeking political and economic reforms. Human Rights groups estimate that at least 200 people have been killed in the protests, which started and spread nationwide from the southern city of Daraa one month ago.
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In the early hours of Tuesday, security forces had clashed in Homs with more than 5,000 anti-government protesters. The dissidents had taken over a city square they said was equivalent to Cairo's Tahrir Square, which became a rallying point for protests which brought down the former Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak.