Category Archives: Libya

Libya’s parliament has passed a law banning officials from the Gaddafi era from holding political office. The vote in the General National Congress (GNC) came a week after militias backing the law began besieging the ministries of justice and foreign affairs. They had said they would not leave until the bill was passed. The law could affect senior members of the government, including Prime Minister Ali Zeidan. Both Mr Zeidan and GNC speaker Mohamed Megaryef were diplomats before the revolution. Human rights groups say the measure is too sweeping. “This law is far too vague – potentially barring anyone who ever worked for the authorities during the four decades of … Continue reading →

Saif al-Islam, the son and presumed heir of deposed Libyan leader, Col Muammar Gaddafi, has briefly appeared in court to face criminal charges and has been appointed two local lawyers. The case relates to a visit last year from a lawyer from the International Criminal Court (ICC) who was accused of passing information to Mr Gaddafi. Mr Gaddafi has also been indicted for war crimes during the 2011 uprising. Both Libya and the ICC claim jurisdiction for that trial. When asked whether he was in good health, Mr Gaddafi said that he was and gave a thumbs-up sign, the BBC’s foreign editor, John Simpson, reports from Zintan. Mr Gaddafi faces … Continue reading →

Armed protests targeting Libya’s ministries and media in the capital this week have alarmed international observers who say the deteriorating security conditions are becoming a matter of serious concern. Reporters without Borders said there was cause for “grave concern about recent violent attacks on Libyan journalists, whose safety conditions are deteriorating drastically” and called on the government to act. Gunmen in heavily armed vehicles remained in control of Libya’s Foreign Ministry for a fourth day on Wednesday, while the Justice Ministry was similarly surrounded on Tuesday and other institutions including the media have been targeted. Recent attacks included the detention and beating of a correspondent for Al-Arabiya, who was led away … Continue reading →

An aide to Libya’s Prime Minister Ali Zeidan has been kidnapped on the outskirts of the capital, Tripoli, government officials say. Mohamed al-Ghattous is believed to have been seized on Sunday in the Ghot al-Roman district as he was driving from his hometown of Misrata. His car was found abandoned and the authorities have launched a search. Also on Sunday, Mr Zeidan warned that members of his government had received death threats. He told a routine news briefing they were working under “very difficult conditions” since coming to power four months ago. A cabinet source, speaking anonymously, told AFP news agency Mr Ghattous “was without doubt taken at a fake … Continue reading →

A man suspected of involvement in the September attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi is being held in Libya, according to two sources who have spoken with CNN. Both sources confirmed the man’s name as Faraj al-Shibli (also spelled Chalabi). One of the sources, who has been briefed on the arrest by Western intelligence officials, said al-Shibli was detained within the past two days and had recently returned from a trip to Pakistan. It is not known whether he has been charged with any offense related to the attack in Benghazi on September 11, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris … Continue reading →

Libya’s prime minister dismissed on Thursday reports that Muammar Gaddafi’s former premier was in a critical condition after being tortured in prison while a United Nations team visited him in jail and said he appeared in “decent” shape. Al Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi was extradited from Tunisia in June, making him the first senior Gaddafi official to be returned for trial under Libya’s new leadership. He went on trial in November charged with corruption and ordering mass rape during the 2011 conflict that toppled Gaddafi and is being held in a Tripoli prison. On Tuesday, his Tunisian lawyer, Mabrouk Khorchi, said Mahmoudi was in critical condition and “risks dying” after being tortured in … Continue reading →

A Libyan court has ordered ex-interim leader Mustafa Abdul Jalil to be questioned over the 2011 killing of top rebel commander Abdel Fattah Younes. Mr Jalil, who chaired the now-dissolved National Transitional Council (NTC) when Gen Younes was shot, gave varying accounts of how the commander had died. 11 people have so far been charged in connection with the murder case. Gen Younes was viewed with suspicion because of his formerly close position to deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi. The commander had been part of the group that helped bring Col Gaddafi to power in 1969. He served as interior minister before becoming the highest-ranking military leader to defect to the … Continue reading →

  The former spokesman for late Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi denied a report Saturday that he was captured by Libyan special forces, saying in an audio message that he is not even in the country. Moussa Ibrahim said the report was simply an attempt to distract people from the government’s alleged crimes in the city of Bani Walid, a former Gaddafi stronghold that has been the scene of clashes in recent days. Ibrahim was said to have been captured in the town of Tarhouna and that he was being taken to the capital of Tripoli, 40 miles to the north, according to the prime minister’s media office. Two sources close … Continue reading →