Minister of Justice Ibrahim Najjar

LEBANON: PUBLIC MUST WAIT FOR FULL ABOLITION PLAN

November 25, 2008: the Lebanese government will use television to gain maximum attention for its plan to abolish the death penalty, giving one station the first right to question Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar about the details of an abolition bill which will be eventually presented to parliament.
"In the coming weeks, the minister will unveil the draft law on a TV station which has been granted exclusive broadcasting rights," the office of the justice ministry told IPS. The ministry refused to discuss the proposed law until this interview has been granted. No official date has been set for the parliamentary debate. News of plans to abolish the death penalty was first made public on Oct. 10, the World Day against the Death Penalty.
On the same day, Najjar informed the cabinet of the details. A brief official press statement said then that the proposal was to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment with hard labour. (Sources: IPS, 25/11/2008)