Lebanon passes long-sought amnesty law, a day after death penalty repeal

Lebanon’s parliament has approved a general amnesty law that is expected to benefit thousands of convicted prisoners, detainees and wanted people.

The legislation passed Wednesday in a “show-of-hands vote”, reported Lebanon’s official National News Agency. It is the first law of its kind since 1991.

The office of the country’s parliament speaker said the law would “exceptionally” reduce certain prison terms.

Long demanded by numerous Lebanese political factions, the amnesty law aims to reduce overcrowding in prisons, where many inmates await trial for years.

However, it has faced backlash from some family members of Lebanese soldiers and servicemen killed in attacks, who fear the perpetrators could receive undue leniency.

Lebanese authorities did not immediately announce the number of people who would be freed or receive reduced sentences under the law, which comes a day after Lebanon’s parliament also formally abolished the death penalty .

According to Imad al-Hout, one of the lawmakers in favour of the bill, the law reduced the sentences of those facing death and life imprisonment to 17 “prison years”.

That is equivalent to 12 years and nine months of actual imprisonment in Lebanon, where a prison year is calculated as nine months.