The Beirut Appeals Court has ordered the release of former Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh on bail, set at $20 million USD and 5 billion Lebanese pounds. Salameh is also banned from traveling for one year amid ongoing legal proceedings against him.
Salameh, who led Lebanon’s central bank from 1993 to 2023, has been a central figure in the country’s financial and economic crisis since 2019, facing both local and international allegations including embezzlement, money laundering, and illicit enrichment.
He was initially arrested in September 2024 following an appearance before the Public Prosecutor, sparking debate over the legality of his extended detention. Lebanese law allows a maximum pre-trial detention of six months for felonies, renewable once, yet Salameh remained in custody for over a year, despite serious health concerns requiring multiple hospitalizations.
His case has involved three consecutive arrest warrants, including one filed by Jordanian businessman Talal Abu Ghazaleh, which had been temporarily blocked by another judge. The Appeals Court, headed by Judge Nassib Elia, ultimately overturned the arrest order, granting his release on the substantial bail.
This decision is seen as a potential reset in Lebanon’s judicial handling of Salameh’s case, amid long-standing disputes over whether he bears primary responsibility for the financial collapse or whether his prosecution has been influenced more by political and public pressure than legal grounds.
Salameh, who led Lebanon’s central bank from 1993 to 2023, has been a central figure in the country’s financial and economic crisis since 2019, facing both local and international allegations including embezzlement, money laundering, and illicit enrichment.
He was initially arrested in September 2024 following an appearance before the Public Prosecutor, sparking debate over the legality of his extended detention. Lebanese law allows a maximum pre-trial detention of six months for felonies, renewable once, yet Salameh remained in custody for over a year, despite serious health concerns requiring multiple hospitalizations.
His case has involved three consecutive arrest warrants, including one filed by Jordanian businessman Talal Abu Ghazaleh, which had been temporarily blocked by another judge. The Appeals Court, headed by Judge Nassib Elia, ultimately overturned the arrest order, granting his release on the substantial bail.
This decision is seen as a potential reset in Lebanon’s judicial handling of Salameh’s case, amid long-standing disputes over whether he bears primary responsibility for the financial collapse or whether his prosecution has been influenced more by political and public pressure than legal grounds.
