Salim Jreissati (born 4 April 1952) is a lawyer and politician. He served as

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...

's minister of labor between 2012 and February 2014. From 18 December 2016 to 31 January 2019 he was the minister of justice. On 31 January 2019 he was named state minister for presidential affairs which he held until January 2020.

Early life and education

Jreissati's family is from Zahle, east Lebanon. He was born there on 4 April 1952. He graduated from the Saint Joseph University with a bachelor's degree in 1976. He received both the Lebanese and French degrees in law, and a high degree in private law.

Career

Jreissati is a former member of the Constitutional Council. He became a registered member of the Beirut Bar Association on 8 November 1974. In 1976, he began to work at Saint Joseph University as a lecturer. He is the former member of the Lebanese Constitutional Council (1977–2009). He served at the

Special Tribunal for Lebanon The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), also referred to as the Lebanon Tribunal or the Hariri Tribunal, is a tribunal of international character applying Lebanese criminal law to carry out the investigation and prosecution of those responsib ...

(STL) as a legal advisor for the defence team of four Hezbollah members, including

Mustafa Badr Al Din Mustafa Badreddine ( ar, مُصْطَفَىٰ بَدْرِ الدِّينِ, Muṣṭafā Badr ad-Dīn‎; 6 April 1961 – 12 May 2016), also known as Mustafa Badr Al Din, Mustafa Amine Badreddine, Mustafa Youssef Badreddine, Sami Issa, and El ...

, who were allegedly involved in the assassination of former

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

Rafik Hariri Rafik is the given name of: * Rafik Al-Hariri (1944–2005), business tycoon, former Prime Minister of Lebanon * Rafik Bouderbal (born 1987), French-born Algerian player currently playing for ES Sétif in the Algerian Championnat National * Rafik ...

. In 2010, Jressati was one of the legal advisors who contributed to the drafting of the new Syrian constitution. In addition, he served as an adviser to former president

Emile Lahoud Emil or Emile may refer to: Literature *''Emile, or On Education'' (1762), a treatise on education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau * ''Émile'' (novel) (1827), an autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life *''Emil and the Detective ...

. He was appointed labor minister in

Najib Mikati Najib Azmi Mikati ( ar, نجيب عزمي ميقاتي; born 24 November 1955) is a Lebanese politician and businessman, and three-time Prime Minister of Lebanon whose current term began in September 2021. He also serves as the acting President ...

's cabinet on 24 February 2012, replacing

Charbel Nahas Charbel Nahas ( ar, شربل نحاس; born 16 August 1954) is a Lebanese politician, economist and engineer who is the General Secretary of Citizens in a State, a political party that was established in 2016 and that has as its goal to create ...

in the post. Jreissati was nominated by the Free Patriotic Movement leader and member of parliament Michel Aoun. After his appointment, Aoun announced that Jreissati became a member of the

Change and Reform bloc Change or Changing may refer to: Alteration * Impermanence, a difference in a state of affairs at different points in time * Menopause, also referred to as "the change", the permanent cessation of the menstrual period * Metamorphosis, or change, ...

, represented by ten ministers in the cabinet composed of thirty ministers. Jreissati's term ended on 15 February when Sejaan Azzi was appointed labor minister. On 18 December 2016 Jreissati was named the minister of justice in the cabinet led by Prime Minister

Saad Hariri Saad El-Din Rafik Al-Hariri ( ar, سعد الدين رفيق الحريري, translit=Saʿd ad-Dīn Rafīq al-Ḥarīrī; born 18 April 1970) is a Lebanese-Saudi politician who served as the prime minister of Lebanon from 2009 to 2011 and 2016 ...

. He was in the post until 31 January 2019 when he was named the state minister for presidential affairs. Jreissati was in office until January 2020.

Business activities

From 1993 to 1997 Jreissati was a member of the directors' board of At Tamwil Bank. In 2008, he was named as a member of the board of directors of Emirates Lebanon bank.

Personal life

Jreissati is married and has three children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jreissati, Salim 20th-century Lebanese lawyers 1952 births American University of Beirut alumni Free Patriotic Movement politicians Government ministers of Lebanon 21st-century Lebanese businesspeople Lebanese Melkite Greek Catholics Living people People from Zahle Saint Joseph University faculty