Former Lebanese Economy Minister Amin Salam Faces Trial on Corruption Charges

A Lebanese judge has formally indicted former Economy Minister Amin Salam on a series of serious financial charges, a development hailed by a senior lawmaker as a significant milestone for accountability. Mr Salam, who held office as Minister of Economy and Trade from 2021 to 2025, faces ongoing investigations concerning allegations of embezzlement, forgery, blackmail, bribery, and illicit enrichment.

Alongside Mr Salam, charges have also been brought against his brother Karim, as well as Elie Abboud, the former head of the syndicate of certified accountants. All individuals involved have denied the accusations, with Mr Salam characterizing the allegations as targeted attacks against him. The case has now been officially transferred by Beirut judge Roula Osman to a criminal court.

Farid Al Bustani, chairman of the Lebanese Parliament's Economy, Trade, Industry and Planning Committee, described the referral as a crucial step toward reinforcing institutional integrity and accountability. The legal proceedings stem from an initial complaint lodged by Mr Al Bustani's committee, which led to Mr Salam's arrest last year over claims involving extortion, embezzlement, and the misuse of public funds.

According to the committee, the allegations involve the awarding of inflated service contracts to foreign entities and the misappropriation of resources from the Insurance Companies Contribution Fund, an agency supervised by the Economy Ministry. Following his detention last summer, Mr Salam was released on bail in December, set at nine billion Lebanese lira—approximately $100,000—while also facing a travel ban. Mr Salam's tenure as Economy Minister coincided with the aftermath of Lebanon's 2019 financial crisis, which the World Bank categorized as one of the most severe modern economic collapses, as well as the 2024 conflict involving Israel.