Lebanon Becomes First Middle East Country To Abolish Death Penalty In Landmark Parliament Vote

Published 11 August 2026 · politics

News world Lebanon Becomes First Middle East Country To Abolish Death Penalty In Landmark Parliament Vote Lebanon Becomes First Middle East Country To Abolish Death

News world Lebanon Becomes First Middle East Country To Abolish Death Penalty In Landmark Parliament Vote Lebanon Becomes First Middle East Country To Abolish Death Penalty In Landmark Parliament Vote Published By, Last Updated: August 11, 2026, 19:04 IST Lebanon’s parliament has abolished the death penalty, making the country the first in the Middle East to formally end capital punishment. Rapid Read Lebanon Abolishes Death Penalty, Becomes First Middle East Nation To End Practice. Lebanon’s parliament on Tuesday approved a draft law abolishing the death penalty, making the country the first in the Middle East to formally end capital punishment.

The move was announced by the speaker of parliament’s office, which said the draft law seeking to abolish the death penalty had been approved. ‘Historic’ Move, Says Justice Minister Justice Minister Adel Nassar described the abolition as a “historic" decision. He said the possibility of capital punishment had previously prevented Beirut from securing the extradition of suspects from countries where the death penalty has been outlawed. Lebanon had not carried out an execution since 2004, despite retaining the death penalty until the latest parliamentary decision. Human Rights Watch Welcomes Decision Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch, described the move as “a monumental step for human rights in the country".

Kaiss said the decision represented a clear break from what he described as a cruel and arbitrary sentence that should never be imposed. Part Of Wider Legislative Session The abolition of the death penalty was among a series of bills being discussed during the current legislative session. The session also includes consideration of a general amnesty law, an issue that has been debated in Lebanon for years. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: Lebanon First Published: August 11, 2026, 19:04 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s.

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