REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DAMASCUS - Syrian President Bashar Assad declared a general amnesty Monday for prisoners in the country, state media reported, less than a week after he was re-elected to another seven-year term amid a bloody civil war.

It was not clear how many — if any — prisoners would be freed by the presidential decree. The government has issued several limited pardons for various offenses since the uprising against Assad began in March 2011 that have largely been seen as an effort to create the image of a compassionate leadership.

The official SANA news agency did not say whether the amnesty announced Monday would apply to the tens of thousands of anti-government activists, protesters, opposition supporters and their relatives that international rights groups say are imprisoned in the country. However, SANA's report suggested the decree would reduce some prisoners' sentences without freeing them.

The decree appeared to cover at least some of those who have taken up arms against the government, including foreign fighters, according to SANA. Foreign gunmen would not be prosecuted if they "surrender to the authorities within a month of the issuing of the decree," the report said. Those behind taking hostages would also be pardoned, SANA said, if they "release their captives safely and without any ransom or hand (the hostages) over to the authorities" within a month.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Syrian lawmaker Issam Khalil called the decree "a gift from the president after he was elected for another term."

The amnesty includes those who participated in the armed opposition supporters, Khalil said. The government routinely refers to rebels as terrorists. "All those who committed errors against their homeland will benefit," Khalil said. "It will allow them to return to their normal lives."

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