Lebanon Abolishes Death Penalty in Landmark Move for the Middle East
The decision makes Lebanon the first Arab country to formally abolish capital punishment, following a de facto moratorium on executions that had been in place since 2004. The measure has been welcomed by international human rights organizations and the European Union, which described the move as an important step toward strengthening protections fo
r the right to life. The reform now ends capital punishment under Lebanese law, although questions remain over how the new sentences will be implemented amid severe prison overcrowding and limited state resources.
