Assad says emergency laws will be lifted

SYRIA'S president said last night that he expects the government to lift the country's decades-old emergency laws this week.

In a wide-ranging televised speech before the Syrian cabinet, president Bashar al-Assad said stability remained his priority but added that reform was needed to "strengthen the internal front", following unprecedented protests against his authoritarian rule.

Before the speech, tens of thousands of people marched through the country's capital, Damascus, in the largest demonstration to date in the country's month-long uprising.

Lifting the state of emergency has been a key demand during a wave of protests over the past four weeks. The demonstrations have posed the most serious challenge to Assad's authoritarian regime.

The emergency laws give the regime a free hand to arrest people without charge and extend the state's authority into virtually every aspect of Syrians' lives.

Earlier it was reported that a Syrian policeman died after being beaten by protesters during a demonstration in a central city.

The 32-year-old officer was beaten with sticks and stones on his chest and head during a protest in Homs following Friday prayers that witnessed rioting and attacks on security forces.

Thousands of people staged protests around the country yesterday, with security forces generally watching from the sidelines instead of launching a crackdown.