Latest news with #HannibalGaddafi
Libya Review
3 days ago
- Politics
- Libya Review
Hannibal Gaddafi's Release Stalled by Political & Judicial Deadlock
A senior Lebanese judicial source has outlined the two decisive conditions for the release of Hannibal Gaddafi, the son of Libya's late leader Muammar Gaddafi, who has been held in Lebanon for more than a decade. The first requirement is that Hannibal must provide any information he may have about the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr and his two companions during their 1978 visit to Libya. The second is that the Libyan authorities must fully cooperate with the Lebanese judiciary by implementing the memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries and handing over a copy of their own post-2011 investigations into the case. The source confirmed that Lebanese investigators have yet to receive any of these documents from Tripoli, a lack of cooperation that has effectively frozen progress in the case. This, he noted, places the responsibility for the ongoing detention squarely on Libya's shoulders. Lebanon's legal stance holds that the crime of kidnapping Imam al-Sadr remains active until his fate is determined, meaning that anyone suspected of having relevant knowledge is considered complicit. Given Hannibal's upbringing within the ruling circle and his past role overseeing political prisons in Libya, he is believed to possess potentially critical information, particularly about Janzour Prison, where al-Sadr is suspected to have been held. The judicial source stressed that Hannibal's release is not on the table for now, and the fact that his detention has entered its tenth year does not pressure Lebanese authorities to act. The case, he said, is likely to remain stuck in political and judicial limbo between Beirut and Tripoli unless there is a significant breakthrough. Hannibal Gaddafi was detained in December 2015 on charges of withholding information about the disappearance of Imam al-Sadr and his companions. Over the past decade, multiple local and international efforts to resolve the matter have failed, leaving the case locked in stalemate, with no sign of a resolution on the horizon. Tags: CustodyHannibal GaddafiLebanonlibya
Libya Review
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
Hannibal Gaddafi Seeks Political Asylum in Geneva
Hannibal Gaddafi, the son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has formally requested political asylum in Switzerland, specifically in the city of Geneva, according to a report published by the Swiss newspaper Blick. The request comes from Hannibal's prison cell in Lebanon, where he has been held without trial since 2015. The report notes that Gaddafi, through his legal representatives, is seeking international intervention to end what his supporters describe as a politically motivated and unlawful detention. The request has not yet received a public response from Swiss authorities, and it remains unclear whether Switzerland is prepared to act on the appeal. Hannibal Gaddafi was arrested in Lebanon over alleged links to the 1978 disappearance of Lebanese cleric Musa al-Sadr. He was only three years old at the time. Despite no formal charges or trial, he has remained in detention for nearly a decade. His legal team has filed complaints with the United Nations and other international bodies, arguing that his prolonged detention constitutes a violation of international law. Sources close to the Gaddafi family say Hannibal is seeking asylum in Geneva due to the city's neutrality and his personal familiarity with it. He previously lived there during the early 2000s, enjoying a life of luxury before the fall of his father's regime in 2011. He still maintains a network of acquaintances in Geneva and views the city as a potential safe haven. The asylum request raises sensitive political memories in Switzerland. In 2008, Hannibal Gaddafi was arrested in Geneva for allegedly assaulting two domestic workers. The incident triggered a diplomatic crisis between Switzerland and Libya, including threats, sanctions, and the temporary detention of Swiss nationals in Libya. Swiss officials have refrained from commenting on the matter. The Foreign Ministry deferred inquiries to the State Secretariat for Migration, which has the sole authority over asylum matters. Legal experts note that requesting asylum from detention is possible under international law, but requires the cooperation of the detaining country, in this case, Lebanon. Tags: GenevaHannibal GaddafiLebanonlibyaPrison
Libya Review
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
Libya Renews Request for Hannibal Gaddafi's Release or Transfer from Lebanon
The long-standing case of Hannibal Gaddafi has resurfaced, as Libyan authorities formally demand his immediate release or deportation to a third country—ten years after he was detained in Lebanon. According to senior judicial sources who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat, Lebanon's judiciary has received an official letter from Libyan Prosecutor General Al-Siddiq Al-Sour, urging the Lebanese government to release Hannibal Gaddafi without delay and either return him to Libya or transfer him to his country of asylum, Syria. The letter also blamed Lebanese authorities for the deterioration of Gaddafi's health and warned of potential consequences. However, the request is expected to be swiftly rejected by the Lebanese judiciary. Legal officials say Libya's communication lacked any new information regarding the fate of Imam Musa Al-Sadr, Sheikh Mohammad Yaacoub, and journalist Abbas Badreddine—who were abducted and forcibly disappeared in Libya in 1978. The Libyan request has reportedly disappointed Lebanese legal circles, especially after earlier promises of cooperation from Libyan authorities. Lebanon had previously been informed that the Libyan judiciary was willing to share documents and findings from post-Gaddafi era investigations with Judge Zaher Hamadeh, the judicial investigator in the Sadr case. Yet, the recent letter made no reference to such cooperation. Instead, it reiterated Libya's demand for Hannibal's release—ignoring Lebanon's requests, and failing to respect a 2014 memorandum of understanding signed between the two judicial authorities. The letter, received via diplomatic channels, was addressed to top Lebanese judicial figures, including the President of the Judicial Council Judge Suhail Abboud, Prosecutor General Judge Jamal Al-Hajjar, and Judge Zaher Hamadeh. It outlined Hannibal's kidnapping from Syria, transfer to Lebanon, his questioning, and the arrest warrant issued for withholding information regarding the disappearance of Al-Sadr and his companions. The Lebanese judiciary remains firm: no release without reciprocal cooperation. Judge Hamadeh is reportedly preparing a formal response rejecting the Libyan demand unless credible and comprehensive documents are provided. The judiciary believes Hannibal Gaddafi may hold crucial information, particularly due to his former role overseeing political prisons in Libya. Hannibal has stated that he is willing to share information only after being freed and allowed to leave Lebanon—a position seen as evidence that he possesses valuable insight into the decades-old disappearance case. Lebanon, however, insists that the truth must come first. Tags: BeirutHannibal GaddafiLebanonlibyaMusa al-Sadrtripoli
Libya Observer
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Libya Observer
Justice Minister: Lebanese parties hindering an end to Musa Al-Sadr's case for political reasons
Libya's Minister of Justice in the Government of National Unity, Halima Abdulrahman, has blamed unnamed Lebanese parties for obstructing the closure of the case concerning Imam Musa al-Sadr for 'political purposes.' She reaffirmed that her ministry was closely following the case of Hannibal Gaddafi, who is being held in Lebanon in connection with the same case, as part of 'Libya's commitment to protecting the rights of its citizens abroad.' In a statement to Lebanon's Al-Nahar newspaper on Friday, Abdulrahman said the Libyan judicial authorities had contacted their Lebanese counterparts regarding the case, attaching a detailed roadmap that presents a practical and comprehensive vision for reaching a fair and just resolution. The plan includes mechanisms for judicial cooperation between the two countries that would lead to the closure of the case and the release of Hannibal Gaddafi. Abdulrahman stressed Libya's full readiness to cooperate with Lebanon in all efforts to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of Imam al-Sadr in 1978. She emphasized the importance of resolving the case in a framework of transparency, mutual respect for sovereignty and the law, in a manner that upholds justice and safeguards the dignity and rights of Libyan citizens. She reiterated her openness to all forms of legal cooperation with the Lebanese authorities. She also pointed out that the initiative is now in the hands of the Lebanese judiciary, and that Libya is still awaiting an official response, noting that the 'unjustified delay is a cause for concern.' The Minister of Justice described the delay as a sign of political exploitation of the Imam al-Sadr case by Lebanese parties unwilling to see the file closed, which negatively affects the course of justice and the basic rights of the detained Libyan citizen. She expressed hope that the case would be addressed 'in the spirit of justice and with full respect for legal and human rights.'
LBCI
05-03-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Sources to LBCI: No truth to reports of Hannibal Gaddafi's release, Libyan announcement withdrawn
Sources confirmed to LBCI that the news about the release of Hannibal Gaddafi was false and that Lebanon was not involved in the statement issued by the Libyan Ministry of Justice, which was later retracted. After contacting the Lebanese judiciary and Gaddafi's lawyer, the information confirmed that there was no intention to release him. It was reported that the news publication and its retraction were part of an unspecified Libyan maneuver. It was clarified that a phone conversation took place recently between the Libyan Minister of Justice and the Lebanese Minister of Justice, during which they discussed the need for cooperation on the cases of Gaddafi and Imam Moussa al Sadr.
