BEIRUT: Hundreds of Syrians have been released from government prisons after an amnesty granted by President Bashar al-Assad to mark his re-election this week.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 320 prisoners were released from northern Aleppo Central prison as Assads victory in presidential elections was announced.
The Britain-based group said 480 other prisoners would be freed from Adra prison in Damascus province.
Several dozen were freed Friday from Adra, while the rest of the 480 slated to walk free were transferred to a municipal building pending their release, the monitoring group said.
The Observatory said that all the Adra prisoners to be released had been held on charges of terrorism, a term the government uses for those involved in the uprising.
An estimated 18,000 people are being held in Syrias prisons.
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