General amnesty: How will released prisoners reintegrate into society?

Following President Joseph Aoun’s signing of the general amnesty law, we are republishing this article, originally published on Aug. 23, 2026.The general amnesty passed last week goes beyond merely releasing prisoners. Even before its approval, the bill sparked debate within Parliament and among the political class about the judicial, administrative and social procedures that will determine the conditions of prisoners' reintegration into Lebanese society. Expunging criminal records, professional reintegration, and social support — what will actually happen to the prisoners?Legally, the general amnesty allows prisoners to partially turn the page on their criminal record. According to lawyer Michel Antoine Azar, each person has a criminal record composed of three bulletins. The first one is accessible only to judicial authorities,...