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Lebanon Passes General Amnesty Law Benefiting Thousands of Convicted Inmates
Just the facts
The legislation, representing Lebanon's first general amnesty since 1991, reduces sentences for individuals facing capital punishment or life imprisonment to 17 prison years, which converts to 12 years and nine months of physical custody under Lebanese law where a prison year is calculated as nine months. The law mandates the release of individuals undergoing trial who have remained in detention for over 12 prison years without formal charges or convictions. Parliamentary supporters introduced the measure to alleviate severe overcrowding across Lebanese correctional facilities, which were operating at 300 percent of capacity with more than 6,200 inmates recorded as of March 2026. Political support for the amnesty extended across Sunni factions in Tripoli, Hezbollah and Amal representatives seeking leniency for drug-related offenses, and Christian political groups addressing individuals connected to the former South Lebanon Army.
Why this is news
Lebanon's Parliament voted by a show of hands to enact a general amnesty law expected to reduce prison sentences or grant releases to thousands of inmates. The vote occurred on August 12, 2026, one day after parliament voted to abolish the death penalty.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.