Indeed, HTS has often come in for harsh criticism by hardliners for being too "lenient" and failing to impose strict Sharia rules in Idlib.

The government and regulators have broken the law by being too lenient on water companies that spill sewage, the UK's environment watchdog has found.

That is the most lenient sentence requested by prosecutors.

Republicans piled on, filing an amicus brief complaining that the deal was too lenient and that the investigation was tainted by political interference from the Biden administration.

Not even California voters agree with Newsom’s lenient sentencing policies for repeat criminals — as shown by the landslide approval of Proposition 36.