Lebanon's parliament votes to abolish death penalty, Hezbollah votes against bill

In a significant move for human rights in the region, Lebanon's parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty for all crimes. The decision, which passed with a majority of the 128 members of parliament, was met with approval from international organizations and human rights advocates.

However, the vote was not unanimous, with Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc notably casting votes against the bill to end capital punishment. The legislation will now proceed to Lebanon's cabinet for review before being submitted to President Joseph Aoun for final approval.

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The abolition of the death penalty for all crimes, including through its retroactive application, is an important achievement.

Lebanon has not carried out an execution in over two decades, maintaining a de facto moratorium on capital punishment since January 2004. The last executions occurred that year, involving three men convicted of separate murder cases. These included Badi Hamadeh and Remi Antoan Zaatar, convicted of multiple murders, and Ahmad Ali Mansour, convicted of killing colleagues.

European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas praised Lebanon's decision, calling it an "important achievement." She highlighted that the move builds on the country's long-standing moratorium and demonstrates a commitment to the right to life. Kallas further stated that Lebanon is setting a powerful example for other Middle Eastern countries, reinforcing a global trend toward abolition.

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As the first country in the region to abolish the death penalty, Lebanon is setting a powerful example for other countries in the Middle East and beyond, reinforcing the strong global trend towards abolition and the growing international support for ending the death penalty worldwide.