Lebanon: Parliament votes to abolish the death penalty; it is the first Arab country to do so

Rome, 11 Aug. (LaPresse) – The Lebanese parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment with hard labour. Lebanon is the first Arab country to take this decision. Beirut had been committed to observing an unofficial moratorium on executions since January 2004. However, since then, dozens of death sentences have been handed down, though these were subsequently suspended or commuted. A majority of the 128 members of the Lebanese parliament voted in favour of abolishing the death penalty, with the exception of the Hezbollah parliamentary bloc. Justice Minister Adel Nassar, who was present in the Chamber, described the move as a “historic step” for the country.