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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
World
RFI

Lebanon becomes first country in Middle East to abolish death penalty

Roumieh Prison, Lebanon’s largest prison, in the north-eastern outskirts of Beirut.
Roumieh Prison, Lebanon’s largest prison, in the north-eastern outskirts of Beirut. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Lebanon’s parliament on Tuesday abolished the death penalty, making it the first country in the Middle East to replace capital punishment with a sentence of life imprisonment with hard labour.

The majority of Lebanon's 128-member parliament voted in favour of ending the death penalty, with the exception of the parliamentary bloc of Hezbollah.

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