The Lebanese Parliament voted to abolish the death penalty, a historic decision for the region.

The Lebanese Parliament voted to abolish the death penalty, marking a first in the Middle East. The Minister of Justice, Adel Nassar, described this decision as "historic," emphasizing that Lebanon has not carried out executions since 2004.

The approved bill stipulates that crimes committed before the law comes into effect will be punished with life imprisonment. This change is seen as a significant step for human rights, giving Lebanon a better position in extradition requests for suspects from countries that have abolished the death penalty.

Ramzi Kaiss, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, highlighted the importance of this decision as a break from a sentence considered cruel and arbitrary. The vote is part of a series of legislative initiatives discussed in Parliament, including an amnesty law.