The Lebanese state spends yearly around $40 million on protective teams for politicians and security officials, as part of a culture of show-off once a person is given a high-ranking post.
Lebanese law allows some officials to have bodyguards for their personal protection. However, this same law legitimizes “corruption” by permitting any person to recruit a security detail or PSD under the pretext of danger to his or her life.
The law’s abuse has reached an extent where public figures have turned the persons tasked with protecting their personal security into drivers for their family members or as couriers.
According to the law, every former president gets ten bodyguards, while former speakers and prime ministers are allowed to have eight protective team members.
Each current minister and deputy gets four bodyguards, while 164 judges are each entitled for one PSD. The wife of a late president gets two bodyguards while the heads of religious sects residing in Lebanon are entitled for six PSDs.
However, former Interior Minister Marwan Charbel and Researcher at Beirut-based Information International Mohammed Shamseddine confirmed that the quota is never respected.
“There is no exact information on the number of bodyguards and drivers of former and current officers, as concerned parties reject to discuss the matter in public. However, it is estimated that $6 million is spent yearly on officers’ bodyguards,” Shamseddine revealed.
He said a former brigadier general at the Internal Security Forces had 60 members to protect him, while his successor has only one bodyguard.
Meanwhile, concrete blocks are being gradually removed from outside the headquarters of political parties and public institutions in line with a decision by Interior Minister Raya El Hassan.
On Sunday, the Mustaqbal Movement started to remove concrete blocks outside its headquarters in the Beirut neighborhood of Qantari.
Two days ago, the General Security also said it removed barricades near he agency's building in Beirut’s Adlieh area, following instructions from General Security head Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim.
