Hannibal Gaddafi, the youngest son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been released by Lebanese authorities after spending nearly a decade in detention without trial. The 49-year-old was arrested in 2015 on charges of withholding information regarding the disappearance of Lebanese Shia cleric Musa al-Sadr, who vanished in Libya in 1978. At that time, Hannibal Gaddafi was only two years old.
Human rights organizations have criticized the allegations against him, asserting concerns over the fairness of his detention. According to his lawyer, Laurent Bayon, Gaddafi’s bail was set at $900,000 and has now been paid following a reduction from an earlier amount of $11 million determined by a judge. The reduced bail was the result of an appeal made by Gaddafi’s defense team.
Bayon described his client’s release as a significant moment, indicating an end to a prolonged period of difficulties. He mentioned that Gaddafi would leave Lebanon for an undisclosed location. Bayon also expressed concerns about the independence of the Lebanese justice system, suggesting that Gaddafi’s long detention demonstrates a lack of justice.
Before his detention, Hannibal Gaddafi experienced a brief abduction in Lebanon shortly after his initial arrest. Following the 2011 overthrow and death of his father, he resided in Syria, later moving to Oman, where he was reportedly under house arrest with his wife.
The case of Musa al-Sadr’s disappearance has strained relations between Lebanon and Libya for many years, despite Hannibal Gaddafi having held no notable political position in Libya as an adult.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxnq6d71y9o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss