Lebanon Just Abolished the Death Penalty in a Landmark Parliamentary Vote

In a landmark move during today’s session, Lebanon’s Parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty, replacing it with what is being referred to as harsher forms of life imprisonment.

The amendments, proposed by MP Abdel Rahman Bizri and backed by the various MPs’ gathering, were approved by Parliament and will apply to crimes committed after the law comes into effect.

Lebanon had not carried out an execution in 22 years, with the last executions taking place on January 17, 2004, when three men convicted of murder were put to death. Under the new law, the death penalty will be replaced by aggravated life imprisonment with hard labor for future crimes. For crimes committed before the law takes effect, existing death sentences will be reduced to the next applicable penalty: life imprisonment with hard labor.

The vote was not without opposition. some parliamentary blocs objected to the move, arguing that abolishing the death penalty alongside an amnesty law could potentially reduce sentences for those convicted of bombings and crimes against the army, creating further complications for the military institution.

The decision places Lebanon among the Arab countries taking steps toward abolishing capital punishment, marking a significant shift in the country’s criminal justice system.

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