Syria votes on new constitution referendum amid unrest

The referendum takes place amid regular anti-Assad demonstrations

The Syrian government is holding a national referendum on a new constitution, amid continuing violent unrest and a boycott by the opposition.

The new constitution calls for a multi-party parliamentary election within three months.
The opposition has dismissed Sunday's vote as a farce and demands President Bashar al-Assad stand down.
The vote comes amid ongoing violence, with activists saying more than 80 people died across Syria on Saturday.
'Laughable' The government has pressed ahead with organising the referendum despite the unrest, setting up more than 13,000 polling stations for 14.6m voters.
State television has been holding discussions about the new document, which allows for more opposition to Mr Assad's Baath Party, and telling people how they can vote.
However, the constitution has been rejected out of hand by the opposition.
One group described the new constitution as fraudulent and the referendum as a farce.
It pointed out that the regime had never respected the old constitution, which enshrines freedom of speech and peaceful demonstrations and bans torture.
The BBC's Jim Muir in neighbouring Beirut says how the vote can plausibly be held in the current situation remains to be seen.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu echoed this view at a news conference in Istanbul, asking: "On one hand you say you are holding a referendum and on the other you are attacking with tank fire on civilian areas.
"You still think the people will go to a referendum the next day in the same city?"
The US has dismissed the referendum as "laughable".