Syria promised to lift the state of emergency in force since 1963 and to introduce political reforms to meet the demands of protesters shortly before threatened to intensify protests held for six days. ''I'm happy to announce the decisions taken by the Baath Party, under the auspices of President Bashar al-Assad, including studying the possibility of lifting the emergency law and licensing of political parties,''said an adviser to the Syrian president .
Saying''there will be a study to repeal the emergency law is an important step as it has been in place since 1963 and a new law for the media to enhance transparency,''he said at a news conference. The announcement came shortly after thousands of Syrian demonstrators threatened to intensify their anti-government protests during the funerals of dozens of people killed by violent repression of the security forces in the southern city of Dara.
About 20 thousand demonstrators took to the Omari mosque to the cemetery, shouting slogans in homage to the martyrs and against the government, amid tight security, reported the Qatari television network Al Jazeera. ''For our soul and our blood, we sacrifice for you, martyr,''proclaimed the demonstrators who were marching towards the local cemetery.
The funeral came a day after more than 100 protesters were killed in the town of Dara after being repressed by the police, who used bullets and tear gas, according to human rights activists, although other sources report 25 dead. Protesters demand Syrian President al-Assad to end the emergency law, which controls the invasive state security apparatus, to free all political prisoners and allow freedom of expression.
The Syrian authorities blamed the riots on the eve of an armed gang'',''accusing him of killing four people and store weapons''in''to the Omari mosque, a meeting point for protesters. While demonstrations in Syria began on 18 March, the protest movement actually began in Syria three days earlier with a call to demonstrate launched a Facebook page titled''The Syrian revolution against Bashar al-Assad 2011.'' We call the Syrian people''to demonstrate and announce the rejection of injustice and repression in Dara and all of Syria,''said Page, who on Thursday again called on the Syrians to hold a demonstration tomorrow nationwide .
On Thursday, security forces detained hundreds of people at Dara, the epicenter of the protests against the Baath Party regime of President al-Assad, in power for over 40 years. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and Syria denounced the arrests, including the Hanifa Ahmad blogger and journalist Mazen Darouiche.
Amnesty International produced a list of 93 people arrested in March in all Syria, however, felt that''the actual number of persons arrested is probably much higher.'' He said that these are people from 14 to 45 years of age, among whom are students, intellectuals, journalists and activists. 
Saying''there will be a study to repeal the emergency law is an important step as it has been in place since 1963 and a new law for the media to enhance transparency,''he said at a news conference. The announcement came shortly after thousands of Syrian demonstrators threatened to intensify their anti-government protests during the funerals of dozens of people killed by violent repression of the security forces in the southern city of Dara.
About 20 thousand demonstrators took to the Omari mosque to the cemetery, shouting slogans in homage to the martyrs and against the government, amid tight security, reported the Qatari television network Al Jazeera. ''For our soul and our blood, we sacrifice for you, martyr,''proclaimed the demonstrators who were marching towards the local cemetery.
The funeral came a day after more than 100 protesters were killed in the town of Dara after being repressed by the police, who used bullets and tear gas, according to human rights activists, although other sources report 25 dead. Protesters demand Syrian President al-Assad to end the emergency law, which controls the invasive state security apparatus, to free all political prisoners and allow freedom of expression.
The Syrian authorities blamed the riots on the eve of an armed gang'',''accusing him of killing four people and store weapons''in''to the Omari mosque, a meeting point for protesters. While demonstrations in Syria began on 18 March, the protest movement actually began in Syria three days earlier with a call to demonstrate launched a Facebook page titled''The Syrian revolution against Bashar al-Assad 2011.'' We call the Syrian people''to demonstrate and announce the rejection of injustice and repression in Dara and all of Syria,''said Page, who on Thursday again called on the Syrians to hold a demonstration tomorrow nationwide .
On Thursday, security forces detained hundreds of people at Dara, the epicenter of the protests against the Baath Party regime of President al-Assad, in power for over 40 years. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and Syria denounced the arrests, including the Hanifa Ahmad blogger and journalist Mazen Darouiche.
Amnesty International produced a list of 93 people arrested in March in all Syria, however, felt that''the actual number of persons arrested is probably much higher.'' He said that these are people from 14 to 45 years of age, among whom are students, intellectuals, journalists and activists.
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