jordan pulse -

​The Lebanese Parliament approved a general amnesty law on Wednesday, marking the first legislation of its kind passed in the country since 1991. The law is expected to benefit thousands of convicted prisoners, detainees, and wanted individuals, fulfilling a long-standing demand across Lebanon's political spectrum that was previously stalled by deep political divisions.
​According to a statement from the Presidency of the Parliament, the draft law grants a general amnesty and exceptionally reduces terms for certain sentences. The primary objective of the measure is to alleviate severe prison overcrowding, where many individuals have remained detained for years without trial. MP Imad Al-Hout noted that under the new law, sentences for individuals facing the death penalty or life imprisonment have been reduced to 17 prison years (equivalent to 12 calendar years and nine months).
​Official statistics from the Prison Directorate showed 6,268 inmates as of March 30, while the National Human Rights Commission reported in 2025 that prison overcrowding had reached 300%. Discussions surrounding the amnesty law resurfaced following the fall of the previous regime in Syria in late 2024, particularly to address the status of "Islamist detainees"—mostly from the Sunni-majority city of Tripoli—who were arrested over events linked to the Syrian conflict without formal trials.
​The final legislation reflects compromises among various political factions to include their respective constituencies. This includes addressing thousands of detainees and wanted individuals from the Baalbek-Hermel region facing drug and car theft charges, as well as hundreds of families who fled to Israel following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon in 2000 over affiliated ties to the South Lebanon Army.
​Source: Rum Online News Agency