Lebanon Parliament Approves First General Amnesty in 35 Years

The Lebanese Parliament approved a proposal law on Wednesday granting a general amnesty and reducing prison sentences for some inmates [1, 2, 3].

This legislative move is intended to alleviate severe prison overcrowding and help resolve a long-standing political stalemate within the country ^[3].

This marks the first general amnesty law passed in Lebanon since the 1991 amnesty ^[3]. The previous measure was enacted 35 years ago to address crimes committed during the Lebanese Civil War ^[3].

The new law affects thousands of detainees and convicted persons ^[3]. By reducing the length of certain sentences, the government hopes to manage the capacity of the national prison system, a system that proponents say has reached a breaking point.

However, the decision has sparked significant debate in Beirut. Critics of the law said it offers no genuine reconciliation or accountability for those who committed crimes ^[3]. They argue that granting amnesty without a formal truth or justice process ignores the grievances of victims.

While some reports indicate the law was passed Wednesday [1, 2, 3], other accounts suggest that parliamentary debates had been ongoing for three weeks without a final text adopted. The majority of primary reporting confirms the approval of the measure in the parliament building in Beirut [1, 2, 3].