Lebanon Parliament Begins Session to Debate Amnesty Bill and Death Penalty Abolition

On 15 July 2026 Lebanon’s parliament opened a two‑day legislative session, examining more than 40 draft laws. The most prominent measures are a general amnesty bill aimed at reducing severe prison overcrowding and a proposal to abolish the death penalty, which has not been carried out since 2004.

The amnesty initiative has been pushed by families of Islamist prisoners, residents of the Baalbek‑Hermel region linked to Hezbollah and Amal, and relatives of individuals who fled to Israel after its 2000 withdrawal. Supporters seek relief for those convicted of attacks on the army, sectarian clashes, bombings, drug‑related offenses and theft. A previous amnesty law after the 1975‑1990 civil war allowed former warlords to enter politics without prosecution. The session marks the first parliamentary meeting since elections were postponed two years earlier because of the Israel‑Hezbollah conflict.