Lebanon court grants bail to former Central Bank Governor
Shafaq News – Beirut
Lebanon’s judiciary on Tuesday ordered the release of former Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh on $20 million bail, local media reported.
According to the reports, the Beirut Indictment Chamber, led by Judge Nasib Ilyas, issued the decision, which defense attorney Marc Habka rejected as “illegal.”
Salameh, who served as Central Bank governor from 1993 to 2023, faces charges of embezzlement, money laundering, and illicit enrichment in both Lebanon and several foreign jurisdictions. He has been under investigation amid widespread accusations of mismanagement linked to the country’s financial collapse.
The former governor was arrested in September 2024 after appearing before Public Prosecutor Jamal Hajjar, triggering legal disputes over the length of his detention. Under Article 108 of Lebanon’s Criminal Procedure Code, felony suspects can be held for up to six months, renewable once, yet Salameh has remained in custody for over a year.
