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Lebanon’s parliament passed the long-awaited general amnesty legislation on Wednesday after two days of debate, the speaker’s office announced in a statement that described the measure as a draft law aimed at granting clemency and exceptionally reducing terms for certain sentences. The bill cleared the 128-member assembly by roll-call vote and alters the period for life imprisonment from 14 years to 12 years under its exceptional provisions, according to details released from the session. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri had called for the resumption of proceedings to advance remaining agenda items following the previous day’s votes. The speaker’s office noted that the amnesty had been a demand of various political factions for years, with the approval marking the first legislation of its kind since 1991.
The measure is expected to benefit thousands of prisoners and fugitives as the largest amnesty since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war, an Associated Press review of the draft indicated earlier this year. It replaces death sentences, shortens life terms and paves the way for the eventual release of some convicted militants and drug offenders while specifically excluding offenses such as rape, human trafficking, corruption, funding of terrorism and premeditated murder. Parliamentary committees had refined the text over recent months to address overcrowding in the country’s jails, which AP reporting linked to delays in elections caused by regional conflict. The office of parliament’s speaker framed the approval as fulfilling a long-standing legislative priority across multiple factions.
Wednesday’s session saw walkouts by the Free Patriotic Movement, the largest Christian parliamentary bloc, and Hezbollah’s Loyalty to the Resistance bloc over a separate dispute involving Defense Minister Michel Menassa, Shafaq News reported from Beirut. Those withdrawals occurred even as the amnesty vote proceeded, highlighting lingering tensions within the chamber despite broad support for easing prison pressures. The walkouts did not prevent the bill from securing the necessary majority, according to accounts of the proceedings. Lawmakers had debated amendments for weeks before finalizing the text that balances clemency with safeguards against impunity for the most serious crimes.
The amnesty approval follows directly from parliament’s historic vote on Tuesday to abolish the death penalty for all crimes, making Lebanon the first country in the Middle East to take that step, Al Jazeera reported. That law replaces capital punishment with life imprisonment accompanied by aggravated hard labor, a change approved by a majority of the assembly despite opposition from Hezbollah’s bloc. Family members of Lebanese soldiers and security personnel killed in attacks have staged repeated protests against the paired measures, stating they preferred execution for perpetrators over reduced sentences, the network added. The twin legislative actions reflect a concerted push to reform the penal system amid ongoing political negotiations.
Jail overcrowding has intensified in recent years amid successive crises, including the impact of Israel’s military operations against Hezbollah that further strained state institutions, according to AP dispatches from June. The amnesty addresses part of that backlog by commuting sentences for non-excluded offenses, though critics have warned it could undermine accountability for violence committed during past conflicts. An earlier parliamentary human rights committee review helped shape both the death penalty abolition and the amnesty framework over several months of deliberations. Speaker Berri’s request to reconvene the chamber ensured the items stayed on track despite external pressures.
Various political groups had advocated for the amnesty as a means to alleviate burdens on the justice system and facilitate national reconciliation, a position echoed in statements from the speaker’s office. The legislation builds on a 1991 precedent that allowed many former civil war figures to reintegrate into public life, though the current bill applies narrower criteria to avoid repeating past controversies. Implementation will now require presidential signature before taking effect, with monitoring expected from both domestic oversight bodies and international observers concerned with human rights standards in the region.
