In August 2026, a Lebanese judge initiated new proceedings against former Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh and former head of Bank Audi Samir Hanna over alleged financial crimes, including embezzlement and illicit enrichment.
How can Lebanon deliver justice out of years of financial crisis? Activist and lawyer Fouad Debs outlines five key steps Lebanon needs to take alongside criminal prosecutions like these, including conducting a full and independent forensic audits of public sector and bank accounts and moving away from a tax system that disproportionately impacts the country’s lower and middle class.