Ogarit Younan has spent years fighting for this moment. As the head of the Lebanese Association for Civil Rights and founder of the National Campaign to Abolish the Death Penalty, she helped write the draft law that Lebanon's parliamentary committees approved on July 9, 2026. If passed by the full parliament during sessions on July 15 and 16, the law would make Lebanon the first country in the Middle East to formally abolish capital punishment.
"I would have hoped that this law would pass at a different time, so that we could celebrate," Younan said. "But it is happening in a difficult situation. Congratulations to Lebanon. We can finally consider it one of the countries that has abolished the death penalty. This is no small achievement."
Lebanon has not actually executed anyone since 2004 — a fact that may surprise many. For more than two decades, the country has operated an unofficial moratorium, essentially pausing the practice without officially ending it. About 84 people currently sit on death row, according to the Lebanese Association for Civil Rights. The new law would remove the death penalty from every mention in Lebanese law and replace it with "life imprisonment with aggravated hard labor." It would also eliminate the procedures that officials currently must follow to carry out executions.
Human Rights Watch has supported the effort. "Despite an unofficial moratorium on the use of the death penalty for the past two decades, Lebanon needs to go a step further and declare a firm break from this cruel practice," said Ramzi Kaiss, a Lebanon researcher at the organization. "Parliament should ensure that this law is enacted and the death penalty is removed from all provisions of Lebanese law."
Seven members of parliament, including Halime Kaakour, formally submitted the draft law to parliament on October 7, 2025. The cabinet endorsed it in November, and three parliamentary committees — the Human Rights Committee, the Administration and Justice Committee, and the Communications Committee — jointly approved it in July.
Lebanon's move stands out even more when viewed against what its neighbors are doing. On March 30, Israel's parliament passed a law expanding the use of the death penalty. On June 21, 2026, Jordan executed six men by hanging — its first executions since 2017.
Younan acknowledged the difficult moment her country faces, citing ongoing conflict. But she called the step forward a reason for pride. "Our fight continues," she said. "This law should be developed and amended to remove these insulting provisions, including on aggravated hard labor." For now, though, Lebanon stands on the brink of becoming a regional leader in human rights — proof that progress is possible, even in hard times.