Lebanon parliament votes to abolish death penalty

Lebanon's parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty, a move that would make it the first country inthe Middle East to formally end capital punishment.

The latest legislation follows years of campaigning by civil society groups and lawyers for the removal of capital punishment from Lebanese law.

Under Lebanese law, the death penalty could previously be imposed for some of the country's most serious offences, including aggravated murder, certain terrorism-related crimes resulting in death, treason, espionage and offences against state security.