A Lebanese judge has ordered the release of Hannibal Gadhafi, son of Libya’s late leader Moammar Gadhafi, after a decade in detention without charge — but only if he pays $11 million in bail, a condition his lawyers say they will challenge.
Judge Zaher Hamadeh issued the ruling on Friday after questioning Gadhafi at the Justice Palace in Beirut, according to Lebanese judicial officials. The decision also bars Gadhafi from leaving Lebanon for two months following his release.
Gadhafi, who has been held at a police facility in Beirut since 2015, was returned to his cell after the court session. His legal team has vowed to appeal the bail requirement, arguing that the amount is excessive and impossible for him to pay.
“This decision is almost impossible to meet,” said Charbel Milad al-Khoury, one of Gadhafi’s lawyers. “Hannibal has been held for 10 years, and it is not logical to release him for $11 million bail.”
Gadhafi’s lawyers have also filed a case in Geneva against the Lebanese state over his prolonged detention without trial. The case is expected to be reviewed by Swiss authorities next month.
Detention and Health Concerns
Gadhafi’s imprisonment has drawn international attention, particularly after reports of his deteriorating health. In 2023, Libya formally requested his release after he launched a hunger strike to protest being held without trial.
Lebanese authorities detained Gadhafi in 2015 after he was abducted by militants in the city of Baalbek, who demanded information about the fate of Moussa al-Sadr, a prominent Lebanese Shiite cleric who disappeared during a 1978 visit to Libya. Police later took Gadhafi into custody, and he has remained imprisoned ever since.
During Friday’s questioning, Gadhafi reportedly responded “I don’t know” and “I don’t remember” when asked about al-Sadr’s disappearance, according to judicial officials who attended the session.
Background and Family
Before his abduction, Gadhafi had been living in exile in Syria with his Lebanese wife, Aline Skaf, and their children, where he was granted political asylum.
His father, Moammar Gadhafi, ruled Libya for more than 40 years before being overthrown and killed during the 2011 uprising. Several of Gadhafi’s siblings also died during the conflict, while others are scattered across various countries in exile.
Gadhafi, who was born nearly three years before al-Sadr’s disappearance, has never been charged with any crime in Lebanon. His lawyers argue that his continued detention violates international law and human rights standards.
Source:Africa Publicity
