Lebanon abolishes death penalty in Middle East first

BEIRUT: Lebanon's parliament on Tuesday (Aug 11) abolished the death penalty, making the country the first in the Middle East to formally end the practice.

Lebanon had not carried out an execution since 2004, but sentences were still being issued, the latest being on Monday, and Amnesty International said at least 85 people were still on death row by January.

Capital punishment typically applied to major crimes like murder, terrorism and espionage, among others.

The most severe crimes will now be given life sentences with hard labour, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency.

Justice Minister Adel Nassar, who was at the parliament, called the abolition "historic", and said the spectre of capital punishment had previously prevented Beirut from obtaining the extradition of suspects from countries where it has been outlawed.

Independent lawmaker Firas Hamdan celebrated the move in a post on X, thanking "everyone who contributed, for over more than two decades, to reaching this moment".

The move was also hailed by the United Nations, with rights chief Volker Turk calling on Lebanon's neighbours in the Middle East "that still maintain the death penalty to follow its lead in ending this inhumane practice".

He said the move represented a "powerful and principled commitment to the right to life" in a country racked by war.

The European Union said Lebanon was "setting a powerful example for other countries in the Middle East and beyond".

Former colonial power France called the decision "historic and courageous".

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X that the vote showed Lebanon "remains an example through its ability to uphold the democratic values and freedoms that lie at the foundation of its existence".

"DIGNITY, FAIRNESS AND RESPECT"

The passing of the law follows years of campaigning by activists and rights groups.

Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch, told AFP the move was "a monumental step for human rights in the country, representing a clear break from a cruel and arbitrary sentence that should never be imposed".

Amnesty International also welcomed the move.

"To turn this law from paper to practice, Lebanese authorities must now ensure that all death sentences are commuted and ratify the key international treaty on abolition, while advancing broader reforms to strengthen a justice system based on dignity, fairness and respect for human rights," said Heba Morayef, Amnesty International's regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Capital punishment is regularly carried out across the region, with Amnesty International last year recording more than 2,000 executions in Iran and more than 350 in Saudi Arabia.

In June, Jordan hanged six men convicted of killing security personnel, ending a nine-year moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

Neighbouring Israel has only applied the death penalty twice: in 1948 against a military captain accused of high treason, and then in 1962, when the Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann was hanged.

But earlier this year Israel's parliament passed a new law permitting the execution of Palestinians convicted of fatal attacks.

Lebanon has repeatedly voted in favour of a moratorium on the death penalty at the United Nations, supporting a 2024 resolution on the issue.

UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jean Arnault said the latest step "advances the country's adherence to international human rights standards and justice with human dignity".

Lebanon's 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.