A Libyan court has ruled on December 3, that a son of the late Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi can compete in upcoming presidential elections, overturning a decision by the country’s top electoral body to disqualify him.
A court in the southern province of Sabha Thursday ruled in favour of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, Libyan media outlets reported. For almost a week, the court had been unable to convene to hear the appeal after the building was surrounded by armed men who prevented judges from entering.
In a Twitter post late Thursday, he thanked the judges for risking their safety, saying they had done so “in the name of truth”. He also thanked his family and supporters.
The election comes after years of UN-led attempts to usher in a more democratic future and end the country’s civil war.
Libya has been wracked by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled Moammar Gaddafi in 2011. Saif al-Islam had been sentenced to death by a Tripoli court in 2015 for using violence against protesters in the 2011 uprising against his father, though that ruling has since been called into question by Libya’s rival authorities. He is also wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity related to the uprising.
The upcoming vote faces many challenges, including disputes over the laws governing the elections and occasional infighting among armed groups. Other obstacles include the deep rift that remains between the country’s east and west and the presence of thousands of foreign fighters and troops.
Saif-al Islam-al-Gaddafi had been touted to be the dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s heir apparent. The London School of Economics-educated Gaddafi is one of the most prominent figures to run for elections. The suave English-speaking Gaddafi is expected to play on the nostalgia for the era before the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that swept his father from power.
Gaddafi’s view on the Libyan crisis is unknown as the Zintan soldiers have kept him away from public sight for years. He was tried by a Tripoli court in 2015 for the 2011 killing of protesters who rose against his father. The trial took place in absentia where he appeared over a video link and was sentenced to death for the crimes he committed. If seen publicly in Tripoli, he is likely to face arrest. He is also wanted by the International Criminal Court.
He is also head of the Gaddafi family charity and is said to have access to large amounts of money, which he used to smooth relations with the West. Gaddafi, who enjoys hunting with falcons in deserts, is known to have kept tigers as pets. He is also said to have been involved in the 2009 talks to free Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the man convicted accused in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.