Lebanon approves first general amnesty since 1991 following death penalty abolition
New legislation reduces sentences for capital offences and mandates releases for those held without charge, marking a significant shift in governance amid demands from multiple political factions.
Lebanon’s parliament has approved a general amnesty law, the first of its kind since 1991, in a move expected to impact thousands of convicted prisoners, detainees, and wanted individuals. The legislation was passed via a show-of-hands vote on Wednesday, following the formal abolition of the death penalty by the same body the previous day. The office of the parliament speaker stated that the law would “exceptionally” reduce certain prison terms, aiming to alleviate severe overcrowding within the country’s correctional facilities.
The new legislation mandates the release of inmates currently in ongoing trials who have been detained for more than 12 prison years without charges. It also converts sentences for those facing death or life imprisonment to 17 “prison years”. According to lawmaker Imad al-Hout, this equates to 12 years and nine months of actual imprisonment, given that a Lebanese prison year is calculated as nine months. The National Human Rights Commission reported in its 2025 report that prisons had an overcrowding rate of 300 percent, with at least 6,268 inmates recorded by the end of March.
The push for general amnesty intensified following the 2024 fall of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, leading to the jailing of many prisoners linked to the Syrian civil war. Most of those prisoners hail from the northern city of Tripoli and are accused of crimes including attacking the Lebanese army and planning bombings. Various political factions have long demanded amnesty for different groups: Hezbollah and Amal have sought it for drug-related offences and car thefts in the Baalbek and Hermel regions, while Christian parties have pushed for amnesty for families of those who fled to Israel after 2000.
Despite the parliamentary approval, the law has faced backlash from some family members of Lebanese soldiers and servicemen killed in attacks, who fear the perpetrators could receive undue leniency. Lebanese authorities did not immediately announce the number of people who would be freed or receive reduced sentences under the new law. The passage of the amnesty law comes a day after parliament formally abolished the death penalty, a move that has been part of a broader governance overhaul.
Deputy Walid Baarini praised the “long-awaited passage” of the amnesty law, expressing hope it would mark “a new chapter” that brings justice “to those who deserve it”. He wrote in a post on X that “amnesty is not forgetting a right, but rather prioritising mercy and wisdom when they align with the requirements of justice and the national interest”. Lebanon previously passed a general amnesty law in the wake of its 1975-90 civil war.
