Lebanese reactions to Riad Salameh' arrest

On Tuesday afternoon, the news of the arrest and provisional detention of former Bannque du Liban (BDL) Governor Riad Salameh sent shockwaves through the country’s political and judicial circles.

Salameh was arrested in Beirut after being questioned for three hours by the prosecutor general on suspicions of embezzling over $40 million from the Bank of Lebanon, according to a judicial source who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity. The former central bank chief, who completed his last term at the helm of the institution in July 2023 after 30 years in office, is under investigation in multiple cases, some initiated in Europe for financial crimes.

At the highest levels of political power, the caretaker prime minister and the caretaker justice minister asserted that they would not interfere with the judiciary’s work. Among political parties and depositors, some welcomed Salameh’s arrest, while others were more cautious. Here is an overview of the main reactions to the detention of Lebanon’s former top financial official.

In Political Circles:

"The arrest of Riad Salameh is a judicial decision in which we will not intervene. The judiciary is doing its duty. We are all subject to the authority of the law," said caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati to al-Hadath TV.

Similarly, caretaker Justice Minister Henri Khoury emphasized, "The judiciary has spoken, and we respect this decision."

The leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, welcomed the decision of prosecutor general Jamal Hajjar, who "defied the system" by targeting the former "financial leader of Lebanon and thief of Lebanese money." He expressed hope that Judge Hajjar "will see this through without succumbing to pressures or allowing any manipulation."

MP Ibrahim Kanaan, head of the parliamentary Budget and Finance Committee, wrote on the X platform: "When the judiciary fulfills its duty and role with independence and courage, justice is served." He then "warned against any attempts to interfere with the judiciary’s work, especially in this case."

MP Salim Aoun, a member of the Free Patriotic Movement, wrote on X: "I urge prosecutor general Jamal Hajjar to pursue the investigation to the end, without yielding to any pressure and without allowing the case to be manipulated."

Independent MP Mark Daou suggested that Salameh be transferred to the prosecutor general of Mount Lebanon, Ghada Aoun, as she "has succeeded in arresting the highest-ranking officials responsible for financial crimes in Lebanon." He added, "We will see if the prosecutor (Hajjar) seeks complete justice or if he is engaged in political maneuvers dictated by the media."

In Civil Society Circles:

Lawyers Zena Wakim and Étienne Arnaud from the Swiss foundation Accountability Now, which claims to fight against the impunity of Lebanese officials, expressed skepticism about Salameh’s provisional detention. "If a judgment is rendered in Lebanon on the same facts as those under investigation in Germany, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and many other countries, the judicial process in these countries could be undermined. In this scenario, Salameh’s arrest could be a way to protect him, following the legal principle of 'ne bis in idem.'" They suggested that "the timing of Salameh’s arrest might be an attempt to prevent the expansion of investigations abroad."

Fouad Debs, a lawyer and founding member of the Depositors’ Union, told L’Orient-Le Jour: "This is good news on the surface. But I fear it might ultimately aim to exonerate the former BDL governor through a flawed procedure." He added cautiously, "Anything is still possible at this stage."

The Depositors’ Cry association clearly welcomed Salameh’s arrest. "We expect the judiciary to open all cases and take action regarding the crimes committed against the financial system, whether at the level of private banks or the central bank," a spokesperson for the group told L’Orient-Le Jour. The association also called for a "solidarity sit-in with the judiciary" on Thursday at 10 a.m. in front of the Beirut Justice Palace.