Parliament Approves Reducing Prison Year amid Protests by Roumieh Inmates

A parliamentary approval to reduce the prison year to nine months on Wednesday was accompanied by protests by inmates in Roumieh prison, who held 17 Internal Security Forces members hostage.

The controversial issue of reducing the prison year to nine months was submitted to voting and 51 lawmakers approved the decision.

MP Sami Gemayel, who opposed it, said during the session that “crimes in Lebanon should be fought by boosting the prison year and not reducing it amid the deteriorating security situation in the country.”

However, the law excludes prisoners sentenced to death or life in prison, as well as repeat offenders.

Inmates in the prison’s bloc B kicked off a protest ahead of the parliamentary decision to demand the reduction of the prison year to 9 months as families held sit-it near the parliament at Nijmeh Square in downtown Beirut.

The inmates later held the 17 policemen hostage, prompting negotiations to release them given that their demands were met.

OTV channel reported that a team of army commandos raided bloc B after the prisoners held an officer and 15 members from the ISF.

According to VDL (93.3), the inmates were demanding a general amnesty instead of reduction the prison year to 9 months.

The riots turned to celebrations after Interior Minister Marwan Charbel informed the prisoners through a phone call about the parliament's decision, prompting the release of the ISF members.

Roumieh, the oldest and largest of Lebanon's overcrowded prisons, has witnessed sporadic prison breaks in recent years and escalating riots over the past months and periodic attempts to sneak in drugs to inmates who are living in poor conditions and are demanding better treatment.