Lebanon moves toward major prison amnesty proposal

Lebanon is preparing to implement its largest prison amnesty since the end of its 1975–1990 civil war, with legislation expected to pass parliament and be signed by the president in the coming weeks.

The proposed law would replace death sentences, reduce life terms, and could ultimately lead to the release of more than 3,000 prisoners, including convicted militants and drug offenders. However, it would exclude individuals convicted of serious crimes such as rape, human trafficking, corruption, financing terrorism, and premeditated murder. Some prisoners convicted of killing Lebanese soldiers could also see reduced sentences, The Associated Press reports. 

Of the roughly 8,600 people currently detained, authorities estimate that more than 3,000 could be eligible for release, including individuals held without trial for at least 14 years.

The initiative has faced opposition from some groups in Lebanon. Recently, families of slain soldiers protested outside parliament in Beirut, placing dozens of empty military boots as a symbol of their objections.

Lebanon’s last major amnesty was enacted in 1991 as part of post-war reconciliation efforts following a conflict that left an estimated 150,000 people dead and involved numerous sectarian militias, Palestinian factions, and foreign interventions, including Syrian military involvement and Israel’s 1982 invasion reaching Beirut.

In the aftermath of that amnesty, many former militia leaders entered Lebanon’s political establishment, later facing criticism amid allegations of corruption and mismanagement that contributed to the country’s economic collapse in 2019.

By Sabina Mammadli