The family of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Riad Salameh, has expressed grave concern beyond his personal plight, extending to fears about human dignity, justice, law, and the rights of individuals and society in Lebanon. They call upon the conscience of the nation, stating that Governor Salameh is subject to an attempted physical assassination at his detention site in Daher Al-Bacheq Hospital, following the psychological assassinations he has faced in recent years.
The family reports, based on credible medical sources and other witnesses, that the conditions of his detention—which are unsuitable for his fragile health and mental state—pose a definite threat to his life. He is restrained by an outdated and rusty bed iron on one side and connected to an IV on the other to prevent dehydration as he is on a hunger and thirst strike, protesting against the injustices upheld by official decrees.
Moreover, Salameh is surrounded by five armed security officers in his cramped room as if he were a dangerous terrorist, violating his privacy and personal rights, as well as his physical and mental health, and contravening Lebanese laws and international conventions.
Worse still, despite the recommendation from the Attorney General to allow his personal doctor to visit and assess his urgent medical needs, the doctor was denied access to his medical file last evening, reportedly by a decision from the hospital administration.
The ethics of medical practice and international norms preserve a patient's right to accept or refuse collaboration with a doctor they did not choose or treatment they do not want. However, in Salameh's case, he is coerced into unwilling treatment in a deliberate attempt to break his will and diminish his morale. Additionally, the Attorney General's statement that documented Salameh's hunger and medication strike aims to absolve them from any imminent danger to his life, stripping him of rights enshrined in substantive laws and fundamental rights.
The ongoing detention of the former Governor, without knowledge of the legal basis and alleged crime under such dubious conditions, presents a terrifying reality of physical, psychological, and moral assault. This could drive the embattled individual, stripped of dignity and will, to consider drastic measures to escape the humiliation inflicted under the guise of law and authority.
Therefore, while respecting any necessary legal procedures within due process, we urge all relevant authorities to reconsider the situation of a former official who served his country, its people, and economy for thirty years under the harshest conditions of war, assassinations, divisions, governmental interruptions, and presidential vacuums. The implementation of laws must follow established principles and not succumb to media campaigns, external pressures, or similar impediments that hinder justice and erode the pursuit of truth which the judiciary and the Lebanese people seek. Any deviation will undoubtedly lead to the collapse of the case and those holding its keys, resulting in significant damage to the state’s reputation and the revelation of the truth.
In conclusion, we urge the relevant authorities to appropriately respond to our demand to transfer Former Governor Riad Salameh back to Bahannes Hospital, where his medical team and treatment necessities are present, until his legal status is resolved following his testimony, in anticipation of establishing facts and securing his release.