The general amnesty law approved by parliament could lead to the release of about 2,300 prisoners and detainees in an initial phase, ending years of political disputes over one of the country’s most sensitive judicial issues.

The law, approved Wednesday after amendments, is expected to provide relief to hundreds of detainees who have spent years behind bars without trial. Some have been imprisoned for more than a decade.

The final text includes safeguards preserving the personal rights of victims and people harmed by crimes committed by those benefiting from the amnesty. It also allows detainees who are released without a final conviction to remain free while awaiting trial.

The law excludes a number of major offenses, including premeditated murder, rape, human trafficking, corruption and terror financing. Repeat drug offenders and Lebanese convicted of collaborating with Israel are also excluded. However, the legislation reduces sentences for certain other offenses, including some cases involving attacks on Lebanese soldiers.

The minimum period required for release was reduced from 14 to 12 years in prison, while a provision requiring a “final” judgment was removed, limiting the release provision to detainees who have not received any conviction.

256 Islamist prisoners

The law is expected to benefit hundreds of Islamist prisoners and detainees, but they represent only a small portion of the overall number of people who could eventually benefit.

According to figures cited by MP Bilal Abdullah, there are currently 256 Islamist prisoners and detainees, including 13 people sentenced to death and 50 serving life sentences.

Under the new law, the 13 death sentences will be converted to 17 years in prison, equivalent to about 12.7 years of actual imprisonment under Lebanon’s system.

Of those 13 prisoners, three are expected to be released immediately, two after one year, two after more than a year and the remaining six in stages.

The 50 prisoners serving life sentences will also have their terms reduced to 17 years, or about 12.7 years of actual imprisonment.

Of them, 21 are expected to be released immediately, 10 within less than a year, seven after more than a year and 12 in successive stages.

The remaining 193 Islamist prisoners and detainees fall into other categories. About 140 are expected to be released initially, while the rest will be released over the following three years.

Al-Assir will not be released immediately

Among the most closely watched cases is that of Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir, a Sunni cleric sentenced to death in 2017 over deadly clashes with Lebanese troops. His supporters had made his release a central demand during the campaign for amnesty.

Under the final formula, however, al-Assir is not expected to be released immediately and could have to wait roughly two years before becoming eligible.

Drug offenses and return from Israel

The amnesty will cover a range of offenses, including certain drug-related crimes, with people convicted of manufacturing, promoting or trafficking narcotics among those expected to benefit.

The law also addresses the status of Lebanese families who fled to Israel after the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. Christian lawmakers said they had succeeded in securing provisions allowing Lebanese who took refuge in Israel to return, although those convicted of collaborating with Israel remain excluded.

Release process

The releases will begin once the legislation is published in Lebanon’s Official Gazette.

Prisoners who have completed the applicable portion of their sentences will be released under the sentence reductions provided by the law. Detainees who have exceeded the legal limit for pretrial detention will also be released, but will remain subject to trial while at liberty.

A judicial source cited by Asharq Al-Awsat estimated that about 2,300 prisoners could be released in the first phase, provided they meet the law’s conditions.

The source said the pace of releases would depend largely on how quickly lawyers and prison authorities complete the required paperwork.

The law is also expected to ease pressure on Lebanon’s severely overcrowded prisons. The National Human Rights Commission reported a 300% overcrowding rate, with prison authorities recording at least 6,268 inmates at the end of March. 

Relief mixed with reservations

The legislation was welcomed by many families of detainees who have spent years waiting for their relatives to be released, but the response was more complicated among families whose relatives will remain behind bars.

Sheikh Omar al-Atrash, spokesman for Lebanese Islamist prisoners, said the detainees' case was legitimate and that families had hoped the legislation would finally close the file.

“We had hoped the law would close this file completely,” al-Atrash told Asharq Al-Awsat, according to the report. He welcomed the removal of what he described as years of injustice but said families would continue to feel frustrated as long as some detainees remained imprisoned.