Parliament's August 2026 amnesty law, framed as addressing prison overcrowding, has drawn criticism for potentially exempting large categories of financial crimes through broad language and removed restrictions.
Parliament passed a general amnesty law in August 2026 initially presented as a response to overcrowded prisons and the detention of Islamist prisoners. The final version, however, extends far beyond these goals, critics argue.
The law inverts the standard amnesty approach by making forgiveness the default and listing only narrow or ambiguous exceptions. This structure automatically widens the pool of beneficiaries to include crimes not explicitly listed, particularly financial crimes.
The version distributed to deputies before the vote contained exemptions for corruption in the public sector. Lawmakers did not discuss or vote on removing this exemption, yet it disappeared from the final text sent to the presidency, opening the door to amnesty for crimes including abuse of office, mismanagement of public funds, and offenses related to public contracts and tenders.
The law narrows the definition of repeat drug traffickers, requiring two final convictions before a crime to qualify as a third offense. Preliminary charges or verdicts in absentia do not count. This could allow figures with extensive preliminary proceedings or absentee convictions to benefit from amnesty.
The law also restricts prosecutions of some banking crimes on money-laundering grounds and exempts only crimes listed in the environmental protection law, not all acts causing environmental damage, potentially allowing amnesty for quarry and crusher violations.
Former central bank governor Riad Salameh may seek amnesty for funds accumulated before 2020, the year the illicit enrichment law was passed, including amounts and commissions tied to the Foury case. Banking sector beneficiaries of financial engineering schemes orchestrated by the central bank and contributing to depositor losses could also seek amnesty.
Former economy minister Amin Salam and former industry minister George Boushikyan face corruption charges that could potentially fall under the amnesty.
The law marks a shift from Parliament's stance during Lebanon's civil war, when a 1991 amnesty was used to rehabilitate wartime leaders without accountability. This law serves a similar function for financial criminals, critics contend, allowing figures who accumulated wealth over decades to emerge without meaningful prosecution.
