Lebanon’s parliament has approved a long-awaited general amnesty law covering thousands of prisoners and detainees, marking the country’s first such measure in 35 years.

According to local media reports, the law reduces the prison term required for release from 14 years to 12 years and introduces changes to provisions concerning certain legal rights and the prosecution of cases outside prison.

Supporters say the measure will help ease Lebanon’s severe prison overcrowding and provide relief for people who have been held for years without trial. Critics argue that the law could reinforce the country’s sectarian and political power-sharing system rather than reflect a broader agreement among Lebanon’s different communities.

Lebanon’s political system divides key state positions and parliamentary representation among the country’s major religious communities, making amnesty laws a politically sensitive issue.

Unofficial figures published by human rights organizations estimate that around 8,500 people are being held in Lebanese prisons, with occupancy exceeding 330% of official capacity.

More than 48 prisoners died in Lebanese prisons in 2025, an average of about four deaths a month, according to the figures.

Around one-third of detainees are being held without having been convicted, while approximately 1,200 people have reportedly been detained without judicial arrest warrants, based solely on security-related assessments.

What does the law provide?

Under the new legislation, death sentences will be commuted to 28 years in prison, with nine months of imprisonment counted as one year under the law. Life sentences involving hard labor will be reduced to 17 years, while other prison sentences will be reduced by one-third.

For detainees who have not been convicted, judges will be required to order their release if they have spent more than 12 years in detention, regardless of the offense for which they are being held.

The measure comes as Lebanon continues to face severe pressure on its prison system, with overcrowding and the large number of detainees awaiting trial remaining major concerns for human rights groups.(ILKHA)