Lebanon’s President Urges Judges to Prosecute Central Bank Governor

Lebanon’s President Urges Judges to Prosecute Central Bank Governor

Lebanese President Michel Aoun has called on the country’s judges to “rise up for their dignity and not to be afraid of the oppression of those in power.”

He also urged the judiciary “to be completely liberated from any persuasion or intimidation,” specifically in the case of the prosecution of Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh.

His comments came in a speech addressed to the judicial body on Tuesday.

“On June 9, and based on Article 13 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the competent judiciary initiated a public lawsuit against the defendant, the Governor of Banque du Liban, Riad Toufic Salameh, and his associates… for serious financial crimes,” Aoun said. “These are crimes of embezzlement, forgery, money laundering, illicit enrichment and tax evasion.”

He continued: “Since then, judges have been divided, while those concerned evade responsibility without the prosecution being made in accordance with the legal principles… Therefore, I demand the judiciary to be completely liberated from any inducement or intimidation, which are two offenses unworthy of the judicial authority.”

In a separate development, a Lebanese judge has ordered the release from detention without charge of a man, who last week took hostages at a Beirut bank in an attempt to access his savings frozen