Lebanon's Parliament Abolishes Death Penalty, a First for Arab Nations

Lebanon's parliament voted to abolish the death penalty, making it the first Arab country to do so. The historic law, which replaces capital punishment with life imprisonment, was passed despite opposition from Hezbollah. Justice Minister Adel Nassar, present at the session, called the vote a 'historic step'. The proposal, introduced by MP Abdul Rahman al-Bizri, was amended before approval: crimes committed before the law's enactment will be punished with life imprisonment, while those after will carry aggravated life imprisonment, as reported by NNA. The vote occurred in Beirut, with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri opening the session. This move marks a significant shift in the region's stance on capital punishment.