News
Latest News
news bulletin
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Other News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Beirut
28
o
Bekaa
19
o
Keserwan
29
o
Metn
29
o
Mount Lebanon
22
o
North
29
o
South
28
o
Live
Video
Audio
Schedule
shows
العربية
watching now
The Stage
SUBSCRIBE
Home
Notification
Live
Video
Audio
shows
Beirut
28
o
Bekaa
19
o
Keserwan
29
o
Metn
29
o
Mount Lebanon
22
o
North
29
o
South
28
o
News
Programs
The News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Programs
Documentaries
Lebanon’s Centennial
News Bulletin
The Untold History
Talk Show
Series
Sports
Variety
Other
Comedy
Oldies
Breaking News
Latest News
Highlighted News
Most Read
Videos
العربية
Watch the latest programs and the latest developments on your favorite screen
Shows
Join millions of followers
Who We Are
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Careers
Channel frequencies
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
Economic challenges and security concerns: Is Lebanon a safe haven for the wanted?
News Bulletin Reports
2023-08-23 | 12:23
High views
Share
Share
3
min
Economic challenges and security concerns: Is Lebanon a safe haven for the wanted?
Recent articles published in both Arab and international media have raised questions about whether Lebanon has become a safe haven for individuals sought by the justice system.
A series of articles, from a piece in the Western magazine Foreign Policy on August 2 to the Middle East newspaper's edition on August 23, have depicted Lebanon as a sanctuary for individuals evading justice.
Lebanon's characterization as a refuge for those wanted by the law has gained traction due to Lebanese authorities leveraging existing regulations in numerous countries worldwide.
In Lebanon, these laws prohibit the extradition of any individual holding Lebanese citizenship, requiring their trial to be conducted within the Lebanese judiciary.
This approach famously brought Carlos Ghosn from Japan to Lebanon in 2019, prompting an Interpol notice against him. The same applies to former Banque du Liban (BDL) Governor Riad Salameh, who is wanted for questioning by several European countries following an Interpol warrant against him.
These articles have highlighted that Lebanon, due to its economic and financial challenges, is gradually becoming a sanctuary for non-Lebanese individuals and non-Lebanese nationals.
Paradoxically, Lebanese security authorities intermittently attempt to improve their image by only arresting non-Lebanese individuals wanted internationally.
According to the Kuwaiti online newspaper "Al-Anbaa," the most recent case involves Bartolomeo Giovanni Prozanniti, an Italian cocaine trafficker, who lived in Lebanon for ten months before his arrest and extradition to Italy on August 3.
Lebanon is also becoming a safe haven for individuals subject to international sanctions. Many Lebanese individuals subjected to foreign sanctions reside within the country, primarily politicians.
However, these sanctions appear to have a limited impact on their daily lives due to Lebanon's cash-based economy and extensive reliance on cash transactions.
This cash-based economy, which has become a safe haven for those seeking to evade sanctions, currently constitutes nearly half of Lebanon's economic output.
The financial landscape enables those listed under sanctions to live comfortably, with the Washington Institute considering it a pivotal facilitator for drug and Captagon trade, money laundering for Hezbollah-affiliated networks, Iran, and cross-border syndicates.
The Institute recommends expanding sanctions to cover money transfer companies tied to the BDL and currency exchange companies linked to Hezbollah, especially OMT, BoB Finance, and Whish Money, along with their owners, in accordance with international anti-money laundering regulations.
As Lebanon grapples with economic and financial collapse, a prolonged presidential vacuum, and burgeoning security concerns, it transforms into what some describe as a refuge for the wanted – a conduit for money laundering and drug trafficking. Here lies the real battle ahead.
Lebanon News
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Economic
Challenges
Security
Concerns
Lebanon
Haven
Wanted
Next
Bekaa Valley: A new 'frontline' in Israel's target list
The Iranian Response: Awaiting Retaliation Amidst Escalating Tensions
Previous
Recommended For You
d-none hideMe
0
News Bulletin Reports
13:08
Securing nomination: Can Harris secure Michigan delegates for Democratic nomination?
News Bulletin Reports
13:08
Securing nomination: Can Harris secure Michigan delegates for Democratic nomination?
0
News Bulletin Reports
13:06
Netanyahu's conditions: Israel and Hamas struggle to overcome deadlock in ongoing negotiations
News Bulletin Reports
13:06
Netanyahu's conditions: Israel and Hamas struggle to overcome deadlock in ongoing negotiations
0
News Bulletin Reports
13:05
War resolution: Netanyahu confronted with ceasefire demands in talks with US leaders
News Bulletin Reports
13:05
War resolution: Netanyahu confronted with ceasefire demands in talks with US leaders
0
News Bulletin Reports
2024-07-25
Border negotiations: Lebanon’s coordinated efforts for long-term border stability
News Bulletin Reports
2024-07-25
Border negotiations: Lebanon’s coordinated efforts for long-term border stability
Subscribe to our VOD
SUBSCRIBE
Our visitors readings
d-none hideMe
0
Lebanon Economy
2024-07-23
Fuel prices decrease across Lebanon
Lebanon Economy
2024-07-23
Fuel prices decrease across Lebanon
0
Lebanon News
10:32
The Countdown Is On! Summer's Most Awaited Event: Miss Lebanon, Live Tomorrow at 8:30 PM on LBCI and lbcgroup.tv
Lebanon News
10:32
The Countdown Is On! Summer's Most Awaited Event: Miss Lebanon, Live Tomorrow at 8:30 PM on LBCI and lbcgroup.tv
0
World News
2024-06-13
Record 120 mn people forcibly displaced worldwide, UN says
World News
2024-06-13
Record 120 mn people forcibly displaced worldwide, UN says
0
Lebanon News
11:33
US President Biden’s deferred enforced departure for Lebanese nationals is not an indication of imminence of further escalation
Lebanon News
11:33
US President Biden’s deferred enforced departure for Lebanese nationals is not an indication of imminence of further escalation
Videos
d-none hideMe
0
World News
2024-07-21
Full Transcript: Trump's Coordinator of Arab Relations Discusses Plan to Win Arab Voters and Achieve Peace
World News
2024-07-21
Full Transcript: Trump's Coordinator of Arab Relations Discusses Plan to Win Arab Voters and Achieve Peace
0
Lebanon News
2024-07-18
Two dead in Israeli airstrike on Jmeijmeh, south Lebanon (Video)
Lebanon News
2024-07-18
Two dead in Israeli airstrike on Jmeijmeh, south Lebanon (Video)
0
Lebanon News
2024-07-11
Hezbollah's Ibrahim Moussawi to CNN: Regional powers do not seek full-scale conflict
Lebanon News
2024-07-11
Hezbollah's Ibrahim Moussawi to CNN: Regional powers do not seek full-scale conflict
0
Lebanon News
2024-07-09
Hezbollah’s "Hudhud" shows new footage of Israeli sites
Lebanon News
2024-07-09
Hezbollah’s "Hudhud" shows new footage of Israeli sites
0
Lebanon News
2024-06-18
Hezbollah scouts areas in northern Israel: What the hoopoe came back with (Video)
Lebanon News
2024-06-18
Hezbollah scouts areas in northern Israel: What the hoopoe came back with (Video)
0
Lebanon News
2024-06-12
Over 100 rockets launched from southern Lebanon toward northern Israel (Video)
Lebanon News
2024-06-12
Over 100 rockets launched from southern Lebanon toward northern Israel (Video)
0
Lebanon News
2024-06-10
Video shows Israeli drone downing in Iqlim al-Tuffah, South Lebanon
Lebanon News
2024-06-10
Video shows Israeli drone downing in Iqlim al-Tuffah, South Lebanon
0
Middle East News
2024-05-21
Funeral ceremony of the Iranian president begins in Tabriz (Video)
Middle East News
2024-05-21
Funeral ceremony of the Iranian president begins in Tabriz (Video)
0
Lebanon News
2024-05-14
Exclusive LBCI interview: Canadian FM urges ceasefire and Resolution 1701 adherence in Lebanon talks, discusses Canadian support for LAF, UNIFIL
Lebanon News
2024-05-14
Exclusive LBCI interview: Canadian FM urges ceasefire and Resolution 1701 adherence in Lebanon talks, discusses Canadian support for LAF, UNIFIL
Most read
d-none hideMe
24 hours
7 days
Month
1
Lebanon News
10:32
The Countdown Is On! Summer's Most Awaited Event: Miss Lebanon, Live Tomorrow at 8:30 PM on LBCI and lbcgroup.tv
Lebanon News
10:32
The Countdown Is On! Summer's Most Awaited Event: Miss Lebanon, Live Tomorrow at 8:30 PM on LBCI and lbcgroup.tv
2
Lebanon News
10:42
US President Biden issues deferred enforced departure for Lebanese nationals, protecting them from deportation for 18 months
Lebanon News
10:42
US President Biden issues deferred enforced departure for Lebanese nationals, protecting them from deportation for 18 months
3
Lebanon News
11:33
US President Biden’s deferred enforced departure for Lebanese nationals is not an indication of imminence of further escalation
Lebanon News
11:33
US President Biden’s deferred enforced departure for Lebanese nationals is not an indication of imminence of further escalation
4
Lebanon Economy
02:19
Fuel prices decrease in Lebanon
Lebanon Economy
02:19
Fuel prices decrease in Lebanon
5
Middle East News
00:05
Rockets launched at Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq, no casualties
Middle East News
00:05
Rockets launched at Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq, no casualties
6
World News
06:12
Airport at Franco-Swiss border evacuated for 'security reasons'
World News
06:12
Airport at Franco-Swiss border evacuated for 'security reasons'
7
World News
00:55
Harris urges Netanyahu to alleviate Gaza's suffering: 'I will not be silent'
World News
00:55
Harris urges Netanyahu to alleviate Gaza's suffering: 'I will not be silent'
8
News Bulletin Reports
13:05
War resolution: Netanyahu confronted with ceasefire demands in talks with US leaders
News Bulletin Reports
13:05
War resolution: Netanyahu confronted with ceasefire demands in talks with US leaders
Download now the LBCI mobile app
To see the latest news, the latest daily programs in Lebanon and the world
Google Play
App Store
We use
cookies
We use
cookies
to make
your experience on this
website better.
Accept
Learn More