The President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, confirmed that his signing of the law reducing penalties will not benefit criminals whose hands are stained with blood, stressing that the legislation is not a general amnesty law, but rather aims to establish a balance between justice and the public interest in light of the tragic conditions that Lebanese prisons suffer from.
President Aoun’s position came during his reception in Baabda Palace of a Sunni parliamentary delegation that included MPs: Ashraf Rifi, Abdel Kabbara, Walid Al-Baarini, Bilal Al-Hashimi, Ahmed Al-Khair, Adnan Trabelsi, Taha Naji, and Muhammad Yahya, who visited him to thank him for signing the law.
The President of the Republic called for “correcting the term,” explaining that the law is limited to reducing penalties. He said: “Terrorism has no sect or religion, and every terrorist must receive his just punishment, in exchange for removing injustice from those who are subjected to it.” He added: “What concerns me is the public interest, and I am not affected by media hype or political pressure, but rather I satisfy my convictions and conscience,” considering that the current state of prisons for men and women is “unacceptable,” which is what prompted him to follow the law, while being completely keen not to release the killers of criminals.
For their part, the representatives presented the deplorable humanitarian conditions inside the prisons, pointing out the presence of 8,600 prisoners, 80% of whom are detained, in addition to the high death rates and the inability of the courts to decide on cases in recent years, stressing that the law provides a solution to the prison dilemma through reducing penalties, not general amnesty.
On behalf of the delegation, Representative Bilal Abdullah (or Bilal Abdullah, depending on the context) described the file as “humanitarian and patriotic,” noting that President Aoun’s signing took place despite “media exaggeration.” He pointed out that the representatives dealt with the issue with a national approach that addressed the concerns of a segment of the Lebanese people who were persecuted during the Syrian tutelage. Abdullah touched on the appeal against the law, considering it a “democratic right” guaranteed by the constitution, while resorting to the Constitutional Council away from debates, stressing at the same time the refusal to pit the army against any Lebanese component and adhering to the role of the military institution and its sacrifices.
In a separate presidential activity, President Aoun received a delegation from the “Umm Al-Nour Gathering,” stressing that combating drugs goes beyond punishment to include embrace, treatment, awareness, and giving young people a new opportunity for societal integration. He warned that drugs “may be more dangerous than terrorism” because of their ability to destroy societies and break up families, stressing the integral role of the home, school, university, and family in monitoring, guiding, and encouraging young people to practice sports.
Aoun also met with the mayor of Hasbaya, Labib Hamra, and was briefed on the general conditions and needs of the region in light of the security conditions in the south of the country.
At the level of diplomatic relations, the President of the Republic sent a cable of congratulations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, on the occasion of Saudi National Day, stressing Lebanon’s deep appreciation for the Kingdom and its supportive positions.
