Lebanon parliament abolishes death penalty, first in Middle East.

Lebanon's parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty, making it the first country in the Middle East to formally end capital punishment. The decision came on Tuesday when a majority of the 128-seat parliament supported the measure, though Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc opposed it. The legislation will next be sent to the cabinet before reaching President Joseph Aoun for final approval. The government has already expressed its backing for the change.

This legislative move follows more than two decades of a de facto moratorium on executions in Lebanon. The last execution took place in January 2004, but courts have continued to issue death sentences, with over 78 individuals currently on death row. The new law will replace capital punishment with life imprisonment with hard labor, although the specifics on how this will be enforced are not yet detailed. Hard labor is mentioned in existing Lebanese law, but its implementation has been minimal, largely due to the ongoing financial crisis and overcrowded prisons in the country.

The push to abolish the death penalty has been fueled by years of advocacy from civil society groups and legal professionals. Oragit Younan, co-founder of the Lebanese Association for Civil Rights, has led a campaign spanning nearly three decades. She emphasizes that violence cannot end violence and believes Lebanon can serve as a model for others in the region. Previous attempts to abolish the death penalty, including initiatives proposed in 2004 and 2008, failed to gain traction.

Lebanon's decision comes at a time when the use of capital punishment is a contentious issue across the Middle East. Jordan resumed executions in June after a five-year hiatus, while Israel has moved to expand the circumstances under which it can impose the death penalty. Amid these developments, the UN human rights chief has expressed concern over the increasing executions in Iran, which are seen as a tool for instilling fear and suppressing dissent. Lebanon's abolition of the death penalty marks a significant shift in the region’s approach to justice and human rights.