Lebanon's parliament votes to abolish death penalty, Hezbollah votes against bill

Lebanon's parliament voted on Tuesday to abolish the death penalty, a decision that has been welcomed by international bodies and human rights organizations. The bill, which passed with a majority vote, will now proceed to the cabinet and then to President Joseph Aoun for final approval. Notably, Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc voted against the measure. The last executions in Lebanon occurred in January 2004, involving Ahmad Ali Mansour, Badi Hamadeh, and Remi Antoan Zaatar for separate murder cases. European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas praised the decision, stating, "The abolition of the death penalty for all crimes, including through its retroactive application, is an important achievement." She added that Lebanon is "setting a powerful example for other countries in the Middle East and beyond."