Financial Crime World

Law No. 318/2001: International Cooperation in Fighting Money Laundering and Corruption

When requesting mutual legal assistance between Lebanon and foreign countries, the following requirements must be met:

  • Language: Requests must be submitted in Arabic, with an optional translation into English or French.
  • Authority: Requests should come from competent authorities, accompanied by documents confirming their powers.
  • Request Details: The request must specify the subject matter, nature, and purpose of the request.

To process requests for mutual legal assistance, the following information is required:

  • Summary of Relevant Facts: A summary of relevant facts related to the request
  • Identification of Individuals Involved: Identification of individuals involved, including nationality and last known whereabouts

There are three types of requests for mutual legal assistance:

  1. Request for Information: Regarding criminal money, property, or bank accounts. This can be submitted through diplomatic channels or directly to the Special Investigation Commission.
  2. Request for Assistance in Investigative Proceedings: This includes hearings, witness statements, technical expertise, or inspections of assets. These requests must be submitted through diplomatic channels.
  3. Request for a Resolution to Freeze Bank Accounts: These requests should include supporting documents and can be submitted through diplomatic channels or directly to the Special Investigation Commission.

The procedure for mutual legal assistance involves the following steps:

  • Temporary Account Freeze: For requests related to bank accounts, the Commission will temporarily freeze the account(s) for 5 days, renewable once if necessary.
  • Investigation and Decision: After investigating, the Commission decides whether to release the account(s), lift banking secrecy, or freeze the account(s).
  • Notification of Decision: If the Commission lifts banking secrecy, it must inform all relevant parties, including the foreign authority that submitted the request.