PoliticsLebanon becomes first Middle East country to abolish death penalty

Lebanon’s parliament voted on Tuesday to abolish capital punishment, making the country the first in the Middle East to take that step. Although Lebanon has carried out no executions since 2004, courts have continued to issue death sentences, including one as recently as Monday. Amnesty International says at least 85 people remained on death row in January. In Lebanon, the penalty has generally been used for grave offences such as murder, terrorism and espionage.