Lebanon abolishes the death penalty, replacing it with life imprisonment

Lebanon’s parliament voted on Tuesday to abolish the death penalty, making the country the first in the Middle East to do so. Lebanon has not carried out an execution since 2004, but death sentences have continued to be handed down, with the latest issued on Monday. Amnesty International says at least 85 people were still on death row as of January this year. Capital punishment in Lebanon has typically applied to serious crimes including murder, terrorism and espionage. France 24 correspondent Renée Davis reports the latest from Beirut.

Lebanon’s parliament abolished the death penalty on Tuesday — replacing active death sentences with life imprisonment, the speaker’s office said in a statement.

Lebanon’s parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty, becoming the first country in the Middle East and the Arab world to annul capital punishment. Lawmakers in the Mediterranean country overwhelmingly supported the decision on Tuesday, replacing the sentencing with life imprisonment plus aggravated hard labour. Justice Minister Adel Nassar commended the “historic step.” The majority of the 128-member legislature voted in favour, except […] Lebanon becomes first Arab nation to abolish death penalty

People in Lebanon convicted of serious crimes will now face life imprisonment instead of the death penalty, making Lebanon the first country in the Middle East to abolish capital punishment.

People in Lebanon convicted of serious crimes will now face life imprisonment instead of the death penalty, making Lebanon the first country in the Middle East to abolish capital punishment.

The bill would make life sentence with hard labor the highest penalty that can be imposed.

Lebanon had not carried out an execution since 2004.

Lebanon’s parliament on Tuesday abolished the death penalty, making the country the first in the Arab world to replace capital punishment with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labour.A majority of the 128-member parliament voted to end the death penalty, with Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc opposing the move. Justice Minister Adel Nassar, who was present in Parliament, described the decision as a “historic step” for Lebanon.Two-decade moratorium formalisedLebanon has observed an unofficial moratorium on executions since January 2004. However, dozens of death sentences have been handed down since then, only to be subsequently suspended or commuted.Rights groups, which have long sought either the formalisation of the moratorium or the complete abolition of capital punishment, welcomed the vote.Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch, said the country was “marking a final break from a cruel sentence that should never be imposed.”“Capital punishment is unique in its cruelty and finality and is plagued with arbitrariness, prejudice, and error,” he said.Questions over aggravated hard labourIt remains unclear how aggravated hard labour will be implemented, with some legislators saying the terms of the new punishment have yet to be clearly defined.Hard labour already exists as a punishment under Lebanese law and in court rulings, but it has rarely been enforced in recent years. The country’s financial difficulties have left it with limited resources and capacity in its overcrowded prisons.Qatar Backs Regional Security Push, Says It's Too Early To Join Mecca Alliance | VideoAmnesty debate sparks controversyThe abolition comes as Parliament debates a controversial general amnesty law, which would be the largest since the end of Lebanon’s 15-year civil war in 1990. The proposed law could reduce sentences or lead to the release of convicted militants and drug dealers, subject to some exceptions.Relatives of Lebanese soldiers and servicemen killed or attacked by Islamist militant groups have repeatedly protested against the proposed law. Some have said they had hoped those responsible for killing their family members would be executed rather than receive reduced prison sentences.Hezbollah did not immediately comment on the landmark vote. Lebanon’s diverse religious institutions also did not immediately respond. The death penalty is considered legal in some of their respective court systems.

BEIRUT, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Lebanon's parliament on Tuesday abolished the death penalty and replaced all existing death sentences with life imprisonment, the speaker's office said in a statement.The move makes it the first country in the Middle East to formally end capital punishment, after maintaining a de facto moratorium on executions since 2004, although dozens of people had remained technically on death row. Crimes that were punishable with a death sentence included murder and treason.

The new law - which next goes to the cabinet for approval - would make Lebanon the first country in the Middle East to end capital punishment.

Death sentences will be replaced with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labour.

Lebanon’s parliament on Tuesday abolished the death penalty, making it the first country in the Middle East to replace capital punishment with a sentence of life imprisonment with hard labour. 

Lebanon’s parliament voted to abolish the death penalty on Tuesday

Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc walked out of Tuesday’s session in protest of the measure.

In a landmark change to Lebanon’s penal system, the country’s parliament on Tuesday approved legislation abolishing the death penalty, replacing it with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labour, the state-run National News Agency reported. The vote makes Lebanon the first Arab country to formally abolish the death penalty. Justice Minister Adel Nassar, who attended the parliamentary session, described the vote as a “historic step” for Lebanon. The measure was approved by a majority of the...

Lebanon's parliament has abolished the death penalty, becoming the first Arab country to replace it with life imprisonment and aggravated hard labor

The abolition came as part of a series of bills to be discussed in the current legislative session, including a general amnesty law that has been debated for years.

Lebanon's parliament Tuesday abolished the death penalty, making it the first country in the Arab world to replace the sentencing with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labour.

The abolition came as part of a series of bills to be discussed in the current legislative session, including a general amnesty law that has been debated for years.