The General Assembly of the House of Representatives approved the draft amnesty law as it came out of the joint committees, with the introduction of amendments related to private rights, release on bail and trial outside prison, so that the condition for release on bail was reduced from 14 to 12 years of imprisonment, and the word “final” was deleted from the article, so that release on bail became limited to those who do not have any judgment issued against them, and not any final judgment.
The law was passed in the absence of MPs from the Free Patriotic Movement, Hezbollah, and MPs Simon Abi Ramia and Ibrahim Kanaan, who withdrew from the session because Defense Minister Michel Mansour did not enter to deliver the army's speech.
The Minister of Defense then left the House of Representatives after being denied permission to make a speech.
The session was preceded by a meeting between Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Elias Bou Saab, and MP George Adwan.
Tuesday's session saw the passage of the law abolishing the death penalty and the media law.
The amnesty law was met with confusion after President Salam refused to allow the Minister of Defense to deliver a speech on the law expressing the position of the Lebanese army. However, Salam considered that the Prime Minister is the one who expresses the position of the government.
This comes as media platforms circulated an audio recording attributed to Sheikh Ahmed al-Assir, in which he commented on what transpired during the session discussing the proposed general amnesty law, considering that the amendments and controversies that accompanied the file aim to keep him in prison, while at the same time he announced that he would not be an “obstacle” to the passage of the law if it would allow other detainees who have spent many years behind bars to benefit from it.
The prisoner began the recording by saying: “Praise be to God in all circumstances,” before adding: “It has become clear to the Lebanese public that all the attempts regarding the general amnesty law, and all the reductions, amendments and disputes, have one goal, which is for me to remain in prison. But, on the other hand, there are some brothers who will also be harmed by these amendments and this approach.”
He continued: “Unfortunately, they did not ask about Sunni political and religious consensus, nor about Sidonian consensus, nor about national demands that transcend sects. They have wronged the oppressed who were promised amnesty, as if their only concern was to target me.”
The prisoner considered that what is happening “affects the dignity of the entire sect, and indeed it affects the dignity of every free and honorable person in this country, and every fair person in it, whether he loves me or hates me.”
He returned to his position on the legal process, saying: “From the first day in court, I said that my demand is justice. Because if there were justice in Lebanon, those who conspired against us would be in prison, not us.”
He added: “And today, I emphasize even more: if there were justice in Lebanon, we would not need a general amnesty, nor a mitigation law.”
The prisoner revealed that, after the incident that occurred during the session, he expressed his willingness to waive the release clause that might allow him and others in similar legal situations to leave before the Court of Cassation.
European welcome for the adoption of a new media law
On the other hand, the European Union delegation, together with the diplomatic missions of the EU member states in Beirut, welcomed on Wednesday Lebanon’s adoption of a new media law .
The mission said in a press statement: “The European Union and its member states welcome Lebanon’s adoption of the long-awaited new media law, which introduces a number of important reforms aimed at strengthening media freedom and protecting freedom of expression.”
The statement asserted that “these reforms, when effectively implemented, would enhance the protection of journalists, decriminalize publishing offenses, establish clearer standards for hate speech punishable by law, and increase transparency regarding media ownership and funding sources.”
He added: “Civil society and media actors have stressed that it will be important to ensure that the law is implemented in accordance with its spirit, preserves its intended goals, and ensures full compliance with international standards.”
The European Union and its member states expressed their desire to continue close cooperation with Lebanon in promoting and protecting fundamental freedoms, human rights and the rule of law.
The Lebanese parliament approved a new media law on Tuesday during its legislative session, which was rejected by the Lebanese Press Syndicate and the Editors Syndicate.
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