Libyan court says Gadhafi's son can run for president

CAIRO – A Libyan tribunal ruled Thursday that a lad of the precocious Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi tin vie successful upcoming statesmanlike elections, overturning a determination by the country's apical electoral assemblage to disqualify him.

A tribunal successful the confederate state of Sabha ruled successful favour of Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, Libyan media outlets reported. For astir a week, the tribunal had been incapable to convene to perceive the entreaty aft the gathering was surrounded by equipped men who prevented judges from entering.

Last week, Libya’s High National Elections Committee had disqualified him, citing past convictions linked to utilizing unit against protesters. The campaigner had appealed the ruling.

The archetypal circular of voting is meant to commencement connected Dec. 24, though a fig of divisive issues request to beryllium resolved earlier then. It remains unclear whether immoderate further ineligible challenges could beryllium made to Seif al-Islam's candidacy.

In a Twitter station precocious Thursday, helium thanked the judges for risking their idiosyncratic safety, saying they had done truthful “in the sanction of truth.” He besides thanked his household and supporters.

Ad

The predetermination comes aft years of U.N.-led attempts to usher successful a much antiauthoritarian aboriginal and extremity the country’s civilian war.

Libya has been wracked by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled Moammar Gadhafi successful 2011. Over the past decade, the oil-rich federation had been divided betwixt a authorities successful the east, backed by almighty commandant Khalifa Hifter, and a U.N.-supported medication successful Tripoli, aided by western-based Libyan militias. Each broadside has besides had the enactment of mercenaries and overseas forces from Turkey, Russia and Syria and antithetic determination powers.

Seif al-Islam had been sentenced to decease by a Tripoli tribunal successful 2015 for utilizing unit against protesters successful the 2011 uprising against his father, though that ruling has since been called into question by Libya’s rival authorities. He is besides wanted by the International Criminal Court connected charges of crimes against humanity related to the uprising.

Ad

The upcoming ballot faces galore challenges, including disputes implicit the laws governing the elections and occasional infighting among equipped groups. Other obstacles see the heavy rift that remains betwixt the country’s eastbound and westbound and the beingness of thousands of overseas fighters and troops.

Libya is presently governed by an interim authorities that was elected by Libyan delegates aft U.N.-led talks successful Geneva successful February.

Several different high-profile figures person filed their candidacy documents, including Hifter, and the country’s interim premier minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. In caller days, section courts person been looking into respective appeals against candidates.

Also Thursday, the country's precocious predetermination committee said that equipped men had attacked 4 antithetic polling stations successful the municipality of Azizia and 1 successful the superior of Tripoli. The committee said they stole oregon destroyed implicit 2,000 voting cards, that eligible voters are expected to transportation connected the predetermination day.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.