Lebanon passes first amnesty law in 35 years to ease prison burden

Lebanon's Parliament passed a general amnesty law on August 12, 2026, marking the first such legislation since the conclusion of the country's civil war 35 years prior. The law intends to alleviate severe prison overcrowding and rectify injustices stemming from prolonged trial delays.

A key provision of the amnesty requires the release of individuals who have spent at least 14 years in prison without a final sentence. This measure targets the significant number of detainees held in pretrial detention, as Human Rights Watch previously reported that four out of five prisoners in Lebanon await a judge's ruling.

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The House of Representatives approved the general amnesty law with the agreed amendments, which include the exceptional reduction of the duration of some sentences, by a show of hands.

Lebanon's prison system, comprising 25 prisons and numerous detention centers, currently holds approximately 8,576 individuals. Of these, a substantial 5,756 are in pretrial detention. The situation has been exacerbated by transfers from southern Lebanese prisons and Baalbek due to the ongoing conflict with Israel.

Further amendments to the law reduce the requirement for conditional release from 14 to 12 years of imprisonment. Notably, the legislation also grants Lebanese citizens who fled to Israel after 2000 the right to return to Lebanon. The law's passage followed considerable debate and multiple postponements, with some lawmakers expressing reservations about its potential to substitute for justice.

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I do not oppose opening the prison doors to those who deserve a second chance, nor to addressing complaints, especially those of detainees who have remained incarcerated for long periods without trial. But I oppose an amnesty becoming a substitute for justice.