Lebanon Abolishes Death Penalty in Historic Vote

Lebanon's parliament voted on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, to abolish the death penalty, making it the first country in the Middle East to formally end capital punishment. The legislation replaces all existing death sentences with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labor.

A majority of the 128-member assembly approved the law, with the parliamentary bloc of Hezbollah voting against it. The speaker of parliament's office confirmed the vote, stating the draft law was approved after amendments were made. Justice Minister Adel Nassar, who was present in parliament, called the abolition a historic step for the country.

The vote formalizes a de facto moratorium on executions that Lebanon has observed since January 2004. Despite the unofficial halt, courts continued to issue death sentences. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Justice's Directorate of Prisons, 85 people were facing death sentences as of the end of 2025. The new law will commute these sentences.

The move was welcomed by international bodies and human rights organizations. The European Union said Lebanon was setting a powerful example for other countries in the region. Amnesty International's Regional Director for the...