(9 Sep 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Beirut, Lebanon – 9 September 2024
1. Internal Security forces convoy, believed to be carrying former Lebanese Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, arriving at Justice Palace
2. Protester being pushed away by security after he attempted to block the way
3. Protesters chanting UPSOUND (Arabic): "Salameh is a thief"
4. Tilt-down from Justice Palace building to protesters
5. Various of protesters holding Lebanese flags gathering outside Justice palace
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ali Bazzi, lawyer:
"Today, these amounts – the $42 million is actually $111 million. It is not just about Riad Salameh’s money. There is also the money of other involved people. We have got the names of all those involved, all the amounts and the copies of the checks of the six banks through which these transactions occurred. Now they are saying that these are not linked to Optimum (a company). No, they are most definitely linked to Optimum. It was a branched out operation with the value of the deposits that were moved in fake transactions conducted by Optimum in collaboration with the accused Riad Salameh who is detained today. He is now officially detained."
7. Various of Lebanese soldiers
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Elias Jaradi, Lebanese legislator:
"Everyone who has collaborated with Riad Salameh whether they were in the deep state or in the banks, be they thieves, money launderers or in the media which is polishing (the image of) Riad Salameh – they should all be with Riad Salameh (meaning in detention)."
9. Police convoy carrying Riad Salameh leaving Justice Palace amid chants by protesters, UPSOUND (Arabic): "Salameh is a thief"
STORYLINE:
A Lebanese judge on Monday ruled that the country’s former central bank chief will remain jailed while facing charges of embezzling tens of millions of dollars from the state’s coffers.
Lebanon’s Financial Public Prosecution division charged Riad Salameh last week with the embezzlement of $42 million, after he was detained following an interrogation by Lebanon’s top public prosecutor over several alleged financial crimes.
Salameh has maintained that he is innocent.
On Monday after Salameh appeared at a court hearing, Judge Bilal Halawi issued an arrest warrant against him, meaning he will remain behind bars while the case is tried.
Judicial officials said Salameh arranged with two attorneys to transfer money from the central bank through other accounts, eventually reaching his own.
In the wake of the charges, Lebanon’s justice ministry filed a lawsuit against Salameh for embezzlement of public funds.
Salameh ended his 30-year term as central bank governor a year ago under a cloud, with several European countries probing allegations of financial crimes.
Many in Lebanon blame him for the crippling financial crisis that has gripped the country since late 2019.
A judicial official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly about the case said that Salameh appeared in court on the day of his arrest last week without a lawyer, believing that he had been summoned as a witness, not a suspect.
Many Lebanese depositors saw their savings dissipate or remain trapped in banks as a result of the plunging national currency and collapse of the banking system.
"We have got the names of all those involved, all the amounts and the copies of the checks," said Ali Bazzi, a lawyer representing bank depositors.
A small groups of protesters gathered outside of the justice palace in Beirut to urge that Riad Salameh remain behind bars.
AP video shot by Fadi Tawil
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