Lebanon abolishes the death penalty in historic parliamentary vote

death penalty abolition Lebanese Parliament Middle East human rights life imprisonment capital punishment reform

The Lebanese Parliament has voted to formally abolish the death penalty, making Lebanon the first country in the Middle East to do so. The decision, approved by a majority of the 128-member assembly, replaces capital punishment with life imprisonment, which will include aggravated hard labor for future crimes. For crimes committed prior to the law’s implementation, sentences will be commuted to life imprisonment.

While Lebanon has maintained an unofficial moratorium on executions since January 2004, courts have continued to issue death sentences. The move has been praised by international organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as a historic victory for human rights. The European Union and the United Nations also welcomed the decision, noting it sets a significant precedent for the region.

Justice Minister Adel Nassar stated that the abolition would also facilitate the extradition of suspects from countries that refuse to extradite individuals facing the death penalty. The vote was not unanimous; the Hezbollah parliamentary bloc voted against the measure. The legislation now moves toward final promulgation by the government and the President.

Entities

Abdel Rahman Bizri · Adel Nassar · Amnesty International · European Union · Hezbollah · Human Rights Watch · Lebanese Parliament · Lebanon · Ramzi Kaiss

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 48 SOURCES] The Lebanese Parliament voted to abolish the death penalty. www.faz.net · www.aktuality.sk · wtop.com · srnnews.com · www.affaritaliani.it · +39 more
[● 37 SOURCES] Crimes committed before the law's implementation will result in life imprisonment. www.faz.net · www.beirut.com · www.la-croix.com · www.t-online.de · www.dnoticias.pt · +31 more
[● 44 SOURCES] A majority of the 128-member parliament voted in favor of the abolition. www.faz.net · www.aktuality.sk · wtop.com · srnnews.com · www.affaritaliani.it · +36 more
[● 41 SOURCES] Justice Minister Adel Nassar described the vote as a ‘historic step’ for Lebanon. www.faz.net · www.aktuality.sk · wtop.com · srnnews.com · www.affaritaliani.it · +33 more
[● 44 SOURCES] Lebanon has maintained an unofficial moratorium on executions since January 2004. www.faz.net · www.aktuality.sk · wtop.com · srnnews.com · www.affaritaliani.it · +37 more
[● 28 SOURCES] The Hezbollah parliamentary bloc voted against the abolition of the death penalty. www.faz.net · www.aktuality.sk · wtop.com · srnnews.com · www.affaritaliani.it · +20 more
[● 41 SOURCES] Lebanon is the first Arab country to formally abolish the death penalty. www.faz.net · www.aktuality.sk · wtop.com · srnnews.com · www.affaritaliani.it · +33 more
[● 42 SOURCES] The death penalty will be replaced by life imprisonment with aggravated hard labor. www.faz.net · www.aktuality.sk · wtop.com · srnnews.com · www.affaritaliani.it · +34 more
[● 24 SOURCES] The death penalty is replaced by life imprisonment with aggravated hard labor for future crimes. www.faz.net · www.aktuality.sk · wtop.com · srnnews.com · www.affaritaliani.it · +16 more