BEIRUT: Lebanon’s justice ministry formally accused former central bank governor Riad Salameh of financial crimes on Thursday, the state news agency and judicial sources said, echoing charges brought against him by state prosecutors when he was arrested this week.
Salameh, 73, was arrested on Tuesday over alleged financial crimes including illicit enrichment through public funds. Reuters has been unable to reach Salameh or a lawyer for him since his arrest. He has previously denied accusations of wrongdoing.
The justice ministry’s move on Thursday aims to preserve the state’s right to reclaim any public funds which have been embezzled, a judicial source told Reuters.
Salameh’s three decades in charge of the central bank came to an end last year when he left office with his legacy tarnished by accusations of corruption at home and abroad and by the catastrophic collapse of Lebanon’s financial system in 2019.
Protesters rallied in front of the justice ministry on Thursday in support of Salameh’s arrest, calling for him to remain behind bars and burning his picture. The protest was called by Depositors’ Outcry, a group campaigning for the rights of depositors with savings frozen in Lebanese banks.
Financial prosecutor Ali Ibrahim on Wednesday charged Salameh with embezzlement, theft of public funds, forgery, and illicit enrichment, according to the National News Agency and judicial sources.
The authorities have not published the charges against him.
Judicial sources have said he has been held on charges of accruing more than $110 million via financial crimes involving Optimum Invest, a Lebanese firm that offers income brokerage services.
Optimum Invest said on Wednesday it is fully “assisting the judicial authorities in their investigation and provided them with all the information and documents previously requested.”
It said its dealings with the central bank “were conducted in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations.”
The charges brought against Salameh this week are separate from previous charges of financial crimes linked to Forry Associates, a company controlled by his brother, Raja. The brothers — who deny any wrongdoing — were accused of using Forry to divert $330 million in public funds through commissions.
Two judicial sources told Reuters on Wednesday Salameh would remain in detention at least until a hearing is scheduled, probably next week.
Lebanese justice ministry accuses former central bank chief of financial crimes
https://arab.news/vmmv5
Lebanese justice ministry accuses former central bank chief of financial crimes
- The justice ministry’s move on Thursday aims to preserve the state’s right to reclaim any public funds which have been embezzled
- Protesters rallied in front of the justice ministry on Thursday in support of Salameh’s arrest
Saudi, Arab and muslim ministers voice deep concern over worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza
DUBAI: The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkiye, Qatar and Egypt expressed deep concern over the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip on Friday.
A statement published by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X cited severe weather conditions and restrictions on humanitarian access as key factors exacerbating civilian suffering.
It said flooded camps, collapsed structures, damaged tents and exposure to cold temperatures had significantly increased risks to civilian lives, particularly among children, women, the elderly and those with medical vulnerabilities.
The ministers warned that the combination of malnutrition, poor shelter and lack of clean water has heightened the risk of disease outbreaks, placing additional strain on Gaza’s fragile health system.
The statement commended the efforts of UN agencies, particularly UNRWA, as well as international humanitarian organizations, for continuing to provide assistance under extremely challenging conditions.
The ministers stressed that humanitarian organizations must be allowed to operate in Gaza and the occupied West Bank in a sustained, predictable and unrestricted manner, describing any obstruction of their work as unacceptable.
The statement highlighted support for UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and US President Donald Trump’s “Comprehensive Plan,” as well as the ministers’ intention to contribute to efforts aimed at sustaining the ceasefire, ending the war in Gaza, and enabling early recovery and reconstruction.
The ministers also called on the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities, urging Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately lift restrictions on the entry and distribution of essential supplies, including shelter materials, medical aid, fuel, clean water and sanitation support.
They also demanded the immediate, full, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza through the UN and its agencies, the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure and hospitals, and the opening of the Rafah Crossing in both directions, in line with Trump’s plan.
