Lebanon Parliament Abolishes Death Penalty in Historic Vote

Lebanon’s parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty, making the country the first in the Middle East to formally end capital punishment.

The 128-member parliament approved the legislation on Tuesday following several amendments. Under the new law, death sentences will be replaced with life imprisonment accompanied by aggravated hard labour.

Justice Minister Adel Nassar described the decision as a “historic step” for Lebanon.

The parliamentary vote was supported by a majority of lawmakers, while Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc opposed the abolition.

Lebanon has maintained an unofficial moratorium on executions since January 2004, although its courts have continued to hand down death sentences. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Justice, 85 people were facing death sentences at the end of 2025.

Human rights organisations welcomed the decision. Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa director, Heba Morayef, described the move as a major milestone and a victory for human rights, saying it provides lasting legal protection for the right to life.

However, questions remain over how the new aggravated hard-labour punishment will be implemented. Some lawmakers said details of the new sentencing system have yet to be fully clarified, while Lebanon’s overcrowded prisons and limited resources could make enforcement difficult.

The abolition of the death penalty comes as Lebanon’s parliament also considers a controversial general amnesty law, which could reduce prison sentences or lead to the release of some people convicted of violent offences.

Families of Lebanese soldiers and security personnel killed in attacks have opposed the amnesty proposal, with some relatives saying they wanted those responsible for the deaths of their loved ones to face execution rather than reduced prison sentences.

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