"We call on the Syrian government to lift the state of emergency, which has been in force since 1963, and to close the file on political prisoners by freeing them," said a joint statement.

The rights groups called on authorities to "annul the emergency courts and the judgements put forth by these tribunals."

The statement appealed for a law on political parties that "would allow citizens to take part in political life."

Notable signatories of the text included the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the Syrian League for the Defence of Human Rights and the Kurdish Committee for Human Rights.

Their statement called on the government "to take all measures to amend laws limiting the activities of human rights organisations, and which prohibit them from working publicly and freely."

It also called for freedom for Syria's significant Kurdish population, allowing them to "enjoy their culture and exercise their language."

The state of emergency was imposed on March 8, 1963, after the Baath party came to power in Syria.