Syria's president allows multi-party system
DAMASCUS. August 5. KAZINFORM Syrian President Bashar al-Assad endorsed on Thursday multi-party and general election laws as part of a series of reforms to meet the Syrian people's demands, Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported; Kazinform refers to China Daily.
The multi-party law would allow other parties to compete with the ruling Baath party in any coming elections, while the election law would regulate the parliamentary and local council elections and ensure the safety of the electoral process and the right of candidates to supervise the process.
Meanwhile, Syrian security forces shot dead six people who took part in protests that erupted after special nighttime Ramadan prayers across the country, activists said on Thursday.
The latest killings came as telephone and communication lines remained cut with the restive central city of Hama, where a deadly military operation has been under way since Sunday.
About 1,700 civilians have been killed since protests against Assad's government began in mid-March, according to tallies by activists.
Amateur videos posted by activists online showed dozens of people in Damascus' district of Midan clapping their hands and shouting: "We don't love you, Bashar!" and "Bashar, leave!" after emerging from the city's Daqaq Mosque.
The footage, which activists said was taken on Wednesday night, then shows chaos breaking out as gunfire is heard, and the camera zooms onto vehicles with bullet holes and smashed windows.
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