Damascus - Syrian President Bashar Assad promulgated a
law on Tuesday imposing a prison sentence and fine on anyone entering the
country illegally, state news agency Sana said.
"Any person who enters Syrian territory in an
illegal manner will face between a year and five years in prison," the text
published by Sana said.
The law also imposes a fine of between $25 000 to $50
000.
Numerous foreign journalists have entered Syria
illegally, usually over the border from Turkey, to report on the war there.
The government has granted relatively few media visas,
and journalists have complained of being constrained in their coverage on the
government side.
Some journalists entering illegally have been detained by
government forces and later released, while others have disappeared altogether,
with no information on who is holding them.
Syrian media also regularly refer to "infiltrations
into Syria by armed groups" from neighbouring countries.
Syria's conflict, which began in March 2011 with peaceful
anti-government demonstrations, has left more than 93 000 people dead,
according to the UN.
