Libyan Court To Pass New Sentence On Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi - Prosecutor General

BENGHAZI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th June, 2021) A Libyan court will pass a new sentence on Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, a son of Muammar Gaddafi, sentenced to death in absentia in 2015 and wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, if he stands trial in person, Al-Siddiq al-Sour, the Libyan prosecutor general, told Sputnik.

"As for Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, a local court delivered judgment in absentia that will be annulled when he appears before the court - then there will be a new trial [in presentia]," al-Sour said.

In November 2011, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was captured by a Libyan militia group. In 2015, a Tripoli court sentenced him in absentia to death for crimes during the revolt that overthrew his father's regime. He was released by the militants later, and there is no clear information as to his whereabouts. In 2018, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi reportedly announced that he would take part in the Libyan presidential election, which was initially scheduled for that year but postponed several times, and is now due this December.

In 2020, Fatou Bensouda, the International Criminal Court chief prosecutor, said that the arrest warrant forvSaif al-Islam Gaddafi issued in 2011 remains in force; Libya is obliged to arrest him and deliver to the court. According to her, Gaddafi made no efforts to surrender voluntarily.