Lebanon’s parliament has formally abolished the death penalty, replacing it with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labour, becoming the first Arab country to remove capital punishment from its laws. Justice Minister Adel Nassar described the move as a “historic step”.
The decision follows an unofficial moratorium on executions that has been in place since 2004. Parliament also approved a general amnesty law aimed at easing severe prison overcrowding, though authorities have not confirmed how many people will benefit.
- Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc opposed abolishing the death penalty.
- The amnesty law may reduce some prison terms and release eligible long-term detainees awaiting trial.
- Lebanon’s National Human Rights Commission reported prisons were operating at 300% capacity in 2025.
ℹ️ Al Jazeera, AP News
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