By Oluwakemi Kindness
Lebanon’s parliament has abolished the death penalty, making the country the first in the Middle East to formally end capital punishment.
Parliament approved a bill abolishing the death penalty on Tuesday, according to the speaker’s office.
Lebanon had not carried out an execution since 2004, although courts continued to hand down death sentences.
Justice Minister Adel Nassar described the abolition as a “historic” move.
Nassar said the death penalty had previously made it difficult for Lebanon to secure the extradition of suspects from countries where capital punishment is prohibited.
Ramzi Kaiss, a Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch, described the decision as a major step for human rights and a break from what he called a cruel and arbitrary punishment.
The abolition is part of a series of bills being considered during the current parliamentary session.
Lawmakers are also expected to consider a general amnesty bill that has been debated for several years.
Lebanon’s decision marks a significant change in its criminal justice system and places the country among those that have formally abolished capital punishment.
