The 10th Court of Appeal of the Tribunal of Beirut convicted a journalist Hassan Sabra who had accused the businessman Jihad el Arab of corruption in an article published on February 1, 2019 in the publication Ash-Shiraa of which he is the editor . As a reminder, a defamation complaint had been presented by the lawyer of the businessman, Maître Marc Habaka against the journalist.
The content of the article titled “Ten Tips for Prime Minister Saad Hariri” then called on the then Prime Minister to expel Jihad el Arab from Beit el Wasat, “as it is a sincere entry to ban corruption around you “, continued its author, now sentenced to 3 months in prison and to pay a fine of 10 million Lebanese pounds. This sentence has since been commuted to a fine of 2 million Lebanese pounds.
As a reminder, Jihad el Arab has since been the subject of sanctions by the United States Treasury on October 28, 2021, also being accused of corruption. According to the American authorities, Shiite considered to be close to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Jihad el Arab – businessman and entrepreneur – had mainly become known to the general public in recent years, in particular by participating in and winning certain calls for ” public offers including those related to waste management. However, he announced the end of his activities in Lebanon on June 29, 2021 due to the economic crisis currently going through the Land of Cedars. The public contracts won by him have often been marked by rumors indicating either pressure to obtain them or against a background of suspicion of corruption.
