Lebanese Parliament Passes General Amnesty Law

ARK News.. Lebanon’s Parliament passed the General Amnesty Law after introducing amendments to some of its provisions during a legislative session that saw the withdrawal of the parliamentary blocs of the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah over a dispute concerning the participation of Defense Minister Michel Menassa in the discussion of the law.

According to Lebanese media reports, the Lebanese Parliament resumed a session called by Speaker Nabih Berri after a quorum was reached to continue reviewing draft and proposed laws on the agenda before voting to approve the General Amnesty Law in its amended form.

The parliamentary blocs of the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah withdrew in protest over the absence of the defense minister from the session. Menassa also left the session, while MPs Simon Abi Ramia, Ibrahim Kanaan, and Alain Aoun were absent.

Berri said Parliament had been in contact with the army commander and that “the atmosphere is good,” adding: “We agreed to implement what we agreed on yesterday.”

In contrast, MP Hussein Hajj Hassan said that “preventing a minister from speaking inside and outside Parliament is a precedent to which we will not be witnesses,” while MP Salim Aoun said the defense minister had been prevented from presenting the position of the army and his ministry on the law.

Aoun questioned why the defense minister’s opinion had not been heard, noting that his position was “not binding” on Parliament or the government, and stressing that the amnesty bill had not been submitted by the government and therefore did not represent its position.

On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Parliament approved a law abolishing the death penalty, as well as a media law.

Tuesday’s session witnessed a dispute over the defense minister’s participation in the discussion of the General Amnesty Law after Prime Minister Nawaf Salam refused to allow Menassa to address MPs and present the army’s position on the legislation, stressing that the prime minister represents the government and speaks on its behalf.

Before Wednesday’s session, Salam and the defense minister held a meeting attended by MP George Adwan in an attempt to resolve the dispute between them.

Salam had written on X on Wednesday, "Towards restorative, not retributive, justice. Congratulations on the approval of the abolition of the death penalty yesterday… and hopefully the General Amnesty Law will be approved today.”

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