A letter from the Justice Minister in ARABIC

Lebanese Presidency on 'Captagon Prince' Case: No alleged role for the president in his release, but rather the request for pardon was rejected according to the opinion of the amnesty committee

18/10/2020

KUWAIT-- - The Lebanese Presidency Information Office issued a statement on Sunday, in which it categorically denied the recent media circulated news concerning the dossier of Prince Abdel-Mohsen bin Walid bin Abdel-Aziz Al Saud, dubbed the 'Captagon Prince', and the alleged role of His Excellency President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, in releasing him and lifting his travel ban.

The Presidency refuted such allegations, "which are tantamount to slander and moral assault."

In this connection, the Presidency statement clarified the following:

First - On October 26, 2015, the Emir was arrested after trying to leave Rafic Hariri International Airport on board a private plane, attempting to smuggle 1900Kg of Captagon drug in his luggage

Second - On March 27, 2019, the Criminal Court in Mount Lebanon issued a ruling against him

Third: On April 26, 2020, he was released at the end of his sentence, with a travel ban

Fourth: On May 2, 2020, a special pardon request for the Emir was referred to the Office of the Presidency of the Republic by the Minister of Justice, submitted by the Emir and registered under the number 142 /2019

Fifth: On July 21, 2020, the request for special pardon received from the Ministry of Justice was returned, with the President's decision to reject it "in accordance with the opinion of the Amnesty Committee"

Sixth: On the same date, i.e. July 21, 2020, the Appeal Attorney General in Beirut lifted the travel ban off the Emir, who left Lebanon on July 24, 2020.

Accordingly and in line with these irrefutable facts, the Information Office of the Presidency of the Republic urged all media outlets to seek the proper and accurate information from its source before making any accusations, in order to avoid misleading the public opinion.