Lebanon arrests ex-economy minister Amin Salam in graft probe
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Lebanese authorities have arrested former Economy Minister Amin Salam on charges of embezzlement and falsification, marking the first detention of a former cabinet member since the country's 2019 economic collapse.
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FILE - Lebanese caretaker Minister of Economy and Trade Amin Salam speaks during a news conference in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, May 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, file)
Lebanese authorities on Wednesday detained former Economy Minister Amin Salam as part of a widening corruption investigation involving alleged embezzlement and questionable contracts.
Salam, who held office under former Prime Minister Najib Mikati from 2021 until 2025, becomes the first former cabinet member to be arrested since Lebanon's financial collapse began in 2019. His arrest came following three hours of questioning, after which Prosecutor General Jamal al-Hajjar ordered his detention.
According to a judicial source cited by AFP, Salam is suspected of involvement in "falsification, embezzlement and suspicious contracts," and noted that "he will be transferred to the financial prosecutor's office, which will decide on further proceedings and... may refer to an examining magistrate." The source also indicated the investigation could extend to others potentially involved in the case.
Accountability shift
Salam has faced scrutiny for several years. His legal troubles intensified after his advisor, Fadi Tamim, was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to one year in prison for blackmail and illicit personal gain at the expense of insurance firms.
Additionally, Salam's brother, Karim Salam, was taken into custody two months ago for "illicit enrichment, forgery and extortion of insurance companies," actions allegedly carried out "under cover of the minister himself," the same source said.
The arrest comes as part of the new government's pledge to clean up Lebanon's deeply entrenched corruption. President Joseph Aoun, who assumed office in January, and newly appointed Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have vowed to prioritize anti-corruption reforms demanded by international partners.
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The move follows the high-profile arrest of former central bank chief Riad Salameh last September on charges including theft of public funds and illegal enrichment, signaling what appears to be a shift in Lebanon's approach to prosecuting elite corruption.
