Syria Imposes Death Penalty For 'Arming Terrorists'

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree under which anyone found guilty of providing weapons to carry out "acts of terrorism" would be sentenced to death.

The state-run SANA news agency said that under the new law, anyone found guilty of weapons smuggling would be handed sentences ranging from 15 years to life in prison.

The Syrian government claims that nine months of protests against Assad's rule are the work of armed gangs and terrorists, and not civilian demonstrators.

compiled from agency reports