Former Lebanese Economy Minister Amin Salam was arrested on Wednesday by order of Public Prosecutor Jamal al-Hajjar on multiple corruption-related suspicions, including embezzlement of public funds and the signing of questionable contracts during his tenure.
The arrest follows a three-hour interrogation by the Internal Security Forces’ Information Branch, conducted in the presence of Salam’s lawyer, Samer al-Hajj.
The move comes just two weeks after Salam was initially questioned at the Beirut Justice Palace. At that time, al-Hajjar had released him on a residency guarantee, lifted his travel ban, and returned his passport. However, new evidence has since prompted further legal action.
According to a senior judicial source, the renewed investigation was triggered by a formal complaint filed by the parliamentary Economic Committee, which accused Salam of embezzlement, forgery, illicit enrichment, and extortion of insurance companies in exchange for contract renewals. The Ministry of Economy reportedly submitted documentation indicating that several contracts signed by Salam were marked by serious irregularities and signs of corruption.
A new case was subsequently opened, prompting the Public Prosecutor to instruct the Information Branch to summon Salam for further questioning — a session that ultimately led to his detention.
The investigation is expected to expand beyond Salam himself. Authorities are reportedly looking into the activities of his inner circle at the ministry. Al-Hajjar plans to transfer the case to the Financial Prosecutor’s Office, which will determine further charges and refer the file to Investigative Judge Bilal Halawi. Halawi will then decide whether to issue a formal arrest warrant, release Salam on bail, or keep him in detention.
Salam’s legal troubles are not new. His former advisor, Fadi Tamim, was previously sentenced to one year in prison in a separate insurance-related corruption case. His brother and former chief of staff, Karim Salam, was also arrested two months ago and remains in custody.
This marks the first arrest of a senior Lebanese official on corruption charges since 2003, signaling what many observers see as a potentially significant shift in Lebanon’s long-stalled accountability efforts.
