Libyan Court Annuls Removal Of Gaddafi's Son From Presidential Race - Campaign Official

The Libyan court of Sabha city annulled the decision of the country's election commission to suspend Saif al-Islam Muammar al-Gaddafi, the son of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, from the presidential race, the politician's campaign member Muhammad al-Kalyushi told Sputnik on Thursday

BENGHAZI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd December, 2021) The Libyan court of Sabha city annulled the decision of the country's election commission to suspend Saif al-Islam Muammar al-Gaddafi, the son of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, from the presidential race, the politician's campaign member Muhammad al-Kalyushi told Sputnik on Thursday.

On November 25, Gaddafi's defense team appealed the decision of the Libyan High National Election Commission to suspend Gaddafi from the presidential race. Consideration of the appeal was hindered by an attack on the court.

"The appeal court of Sabha city made a decision on Saif al-Islam Muammar al-Gaddafi's appeal of his suspension from the presidential election. The court's final decision: Gaddafi may return to running for presidential election," al-Kalyushi said.

The Libyan High National Election Commission on November 24 refused 24 out of 98 candidates the right to run in the election. Gaddafi was the first to be suspended due to the inconsistency of his documents with the national electoral legislation.

As the commission stated, Gaddafi has not provided a document concerning the absence of an unserved conviction. He also violated the requirement that a candidate "cannot be convicted in crimes against honor."

Fatou Bensouda, the former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), stated in 2020 that Libya must detain Gaddafi and bring him to trial. She noted that Gaddafi has not turned himself in. An order for Gaddafi's arrest was issued by ICC in 2011.

In the beginning of February, the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum under the authority of the United Nations elected a transitional executive branch of Libya, which is in power in the country until the general elections scheduled for December 24. The former ambassador of the Libyan Government of National Accord to Greece, Mohamed Yunus al-Menfi, was elected the head of the Presidential Council. Libyan businessman and politician Abdulhamid Mohammed al-Dabaiba was elected the head of the transitional government.