Lebanon becomes first Arab nation to abolish death penalty

Lebanon's parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty, making it the first Middle Eastern and Arab nation to do so. The decision, supported overwhelmingly by lawmakers on Tuesday, replaces sentencing with life imprisonment and hard labor. Justice Minister Adel Nassar hailed the "historic step." The majority of the 128-member legislature voted in favor, except for the parliamentary bloc of Hezbollah.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, praised the abolition, urging other Middle Eastern countries to end capital punishment as well. He called it a "powerful and principled" commitment to the right to life. The European Union also commended Lebanon, stating that the "landmark legislation" marks a significant step forward for human rights in the country and sets a powerful example for other nations globally.

Lebanon had been observing an unofficial moratorium on executions since January 2004, but dozens of death sentences were either suspended or commuted. The abolition of the death penalty in Lebanon represents a major stride in advancing human rights in the region.