Lebanon passes long-sought amnesty law, a day after death penalty repeal

Lebanon's parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty, making it the first country in the Middle East to do so. This landmark legislation was approved on Tuesday and will replace death sentences with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labor. The state-run National News Agency reported that the measure was described as a “historic step” by Justice Minister Adel Nassar, who attended the parliamentary session. The new law is set to go to the cabinet for approval. Prior to this decision, Lebanon had not carried out an execution since 2004, although death sentences continued to be issued, with the latest one handed down just a day before the parliamentary vote. As of January 2023, Amnesty International reported that at least 85 individuals remained on death row in Lebanon. Capital punishment in the country has typically been applied to serious crimes, including murder, terrorism, and espionage. The passage of this legislation marks a significant change in Lebanon's penal system and reflects a broader trend towards the abolition of capital punishment in various parts of the world. The move has been welcomed by human rights advocates, who view it as a step towards reforming the justice system in Lebanon.