Assad forms new cabinet after protests
Bashar Assad said to form new government in attempt to appease protesters, orders release of all detainees arrested in a wave of demonstrations
Syrian President Bashar Assad formed a new government on Thursday, state news agency SANA said, in a move to appease protesters calling for reforms.
The new government is headed by Adel Safar who served as agriculture minister in the former government, which resigned a week after protests broke out in the southern city of Deraa, and spread to other parts of the country. Assad retained veteran diplomat Walid al-Moualem as foreign minister in a new cabinet.
Assad appointed intelligence operative Ibrahim al-Shaar as interior minister and Mohammad al-Jililati, head of the Damascus Stock Exchange, as finance minister, according to the official government list.
Still, the government has little power in Syria, where the executive and judiciary have been sidelined under 48 years of Baathist rule. Power is held firmly by the Assad family and the security apparatus.
Meanwhile, Assad also ordered the release of all detainees arrested in a wave of protests, except those who committed crimes "against the nation and the citizens", state media said.
Syria's state news agency SANA said the move followed a meeting between Assad and "religious and popular figures."
"In order to strengthen cohesion among people, Assad decided to release all those detained after recent events who did not commit crimes against the nation and the citizens," the report stated.
Assad named a new cabinet on Thursday after a month of unprecedented pro-democracy protests.
The government has little power in Syria, where the executive and judiciary have been sidelined under 48 years of monolithic Baath party rule.
Power is held firmly by the Assad family and the security apparatus.
Protests erupted in Syria a month ago and have steadily grown, with tens of thousands calling for sweeping political reforms in one of the most authoritarian regimes in the Middle East.
More than 200 people have been killed during the unrest, according to Syria's leading pro-democracy group.
Roee Nahmias and AP contributed to this report
- Follow Ynetnews on Facebook
