When I was serving in Cyprus a few years ago, my next door neighbour's friend, who was a Syrian, related a brush he had with the Syrian Government. He had been living in Cyprus for several decades and consequently had failed to serve his obligatory national service in his homeland. When he returned to Syria for a visit, he was told by the border authorities that he had been sentenced to death in his absence......but it was okay, as, owing to the passage of time, he was now considered pardoned. "Gulp."