Following is the text of a draft law passed by the Council of Ministers on 24 January 1992. The bill, which was submitted to parliament for approval, imposes strict fines and prison terms on persons involved in paramilitary organizations. The law has not yet been approved.

Article 1- All military or paramilitary groups are hereby banned by law. Hence, any group, regardless of how many members it may have, with any kind of military or quasi-military nature related to its structure, title, activity, training and equipment of its members is therefore illegitimate and banned.

Article 2- Ordinary members belonging to banned military organizations, working or dealing with them, will be punished by imprisonment ranging from one to three years. Hard labor will be added to the prison terms of leaders of these organizations. Illegitimate groups will be dissolved immediately, their finances and equipment confiscated, and their dealings, covert or otherwise, rendered null and void.

Article 3- Members of executive and administrative committees in parties and groups found to have military bodies, will be punished by imprisonment for five years at hard labor.

Article 4 - Those who persist in membership of such organizations, or in helping and assisting them in anyway, will be punished by temporary hard labor, with the leaders serving at least a five-year imprisonment term.

Article 5 - Members who notify the authorities of the existence of such organizations will be exempt from punishment. The punishment will be reduced by half if information on the group is provided before a trial begins.

Article 6 - Weapons are classified as heavy, medium or light according to an official list.

Article 7 - Any person, regardless if he belonged to a military group or not, who is convicted of exporting or importing arms and munitions without getting a license or permit forehand, will be punished by at least a ten-year imprisonment term with hard labor, in addition to paying a fine of between ten million and fifty million Lebanese pounds.

Article 8 - Any person carrying or transporting heavy and medium caliber weapons will be punished by imprisonment for five years, whether he belonged to a military group or not. Those convicted of carrying or transporting light weapons will be imprisoned for a period of between one and two years.

Article 9 - Any person convicted of conducting intelligence activity for a military group will be punished by a five-year imprisonment term with hard labor.

Article 10 - Hard labor punishment will be applied to any person who attempts to set up roadblocks and barriers on public roads.

Article 11 - Any person who attempts to exert control on others or undermine their freedom of movement will be punished by imprisonment for at least five years with hard labor.

Article 12 - Those who attempt to impose illegal fines and taxes on the public will be punished by a five-year imprisonment term in addition to hard labor.

Article 13 - The punishments will be strictly implemented.

Article 14 - No suspension or reduction of the punishment will be considered under by conditions and for any reasons.

Article 15 - Additional penalties and punishments can be imposed according to the penal code.

Article 16 - Special military tribunals will try the above mentioned crimes.

Article 17 - Any text contradicting the clauses of this law will be considered null and void.

Article 18 - This law will be printed in the official gazette and will become effective eight days from the date of its publication.