Lebanese inmates end month-long hunger strike after amnesty bill compromise

A hunger strike involving over 600 detainees in Lebanon was called off after a settlement was reached on a contentious general amnesty bill that had been suspended by a parliamentary appeal. The protest, which lasted 30 days, saw roughly 72 inmates in critical condition and reports of at least seven deaths linked to medical neglect or existing illnesses. The constitutional council dismissed the appeal, mandated changes to several provisions and eliminated others, addressing fears that the law could free Islamist militants and other serious offenders.

The legislation aims to alleviate severe overcrowding at facilities such as Roumieh, which holds more than 4,000 inmates in a space designed for about 1,000. Critics argue the bill is a “trojan horse” for a blanket amnesty covering financial crimes and war-related offenses. While the council’s revisions were praised for limiting a blanket pardon, they also introduced new restrictions that leave some prisoners, especially those with life sentences, out of the benefit.