Lebanon’s parliament passed a long-awaited general amnesty law on Wednesday, according to a report published on August 13, 2026. The measure is expected to benefit thousands of prisoners and fugitives. It was approved during a parliamentary session, though authorities did not immediately say how many people would qualify.

Political parties had been calling for passage of the law. Its stated aim is to reduce overcrowding in prisons, where many detainees have spent years awaiting trial. The office of the parliament speaker announced approval of draft legislation to grant amnesty and, exceptionally, reduce the duration of certain specified sentences.

The issue of amnesty returned to discussion after the fall of former Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in 2024. The report said many prisoners in Lebanon had been jailed in connection with events related to the Syrian civil war. No immediate official estimate was provided on the total number of people expected to benefit from the newly passed law.