Lebanese authorities have released Hannibal Gaddafi, the youngest son of Libya’s late leader Muammar Gaddafi, after almost ten years in detention without trial. His release follows a Lebanese court decision to grant bail in a case tied to the decades-old disappearance of prominent Shiite cleric Imam Musa al-Sadr.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, Gaddafi was freed on Monday after his legal team paid approximately $900,000 in bail — a reduction from the original $11 million set by the court last month. The ruling also lifted a long-standing travel ban that had prevented him from leaving the country.
Gaddafi’s detention dates back to 2015, when he was abducted by an armed group in Syria, where he had been living in exile with his Lebanese wife and children. He was subsequently handed over to Lebanese authorities, who accused him of withholding information about al-Sadr’s disappearance during a 1978 visit to Libya. The cleric’s fate remains one of the Middle East’s most enduring political mysteries, continuing to strain relations between Lebanon and Libya.
Hannibal Gaddafi, who was only two years old when al-Sadr vanished, has consistently denied any knowledge of the case. His lawyers and human rights organizations have long criticized his detention as politically motivated and in violation of due process. Amnesty International and other rights advocates have urged Lebanese authorities to either bring formal charges or release him, arguing that the case lacked credible evidence.
In 2023, Gaddafi went on a prolonged hunger strike to protest his indefinite detention, resulting in a severe decline in his health. Sources close to his legal team said his deteriorating condition, combined with mounting diplomatic pressure, contributed to the court’s recent decision.
The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) in Libya welcomed Gaddafi’s release, expressing appreciation to Lebanese officials for their cooperation. In a statement, the GNU said the decision “opens a new page in bilateral relations” and could help revive stalled diplomatic and economic engagement between the two nations.
Despite Gaddafi’s release, the mystery of Imam Musa al-Sadr’s disappearance continues to cast a shadow over Libya-Lebanon relations. Lebanese judicial authorities have reiterated that the investigation into the cleric’s fate remains open, though progress has been minimal for decades.
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Source:Africa Publicity
