The case of the detention of Hannibal Gaddafi sparks disputes between Lebanon and Libya

The health situation of Hannibal Gaddafi, son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, in Lebanese prisons has sparked sharp disagreements between the head of Libya’s National Unity Government Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh and the government of Najib Mikati.

Several sources pointed to the deterioration of the health situation of Gaddafi’s son, who entered a hunger strike in Lebanese prisons, while his lawyers went out to emphasize that Hannibal is going through a difficult stage, demanding his release.

In a video released by a Libyan in Italy, Dbeibeh said Gaddafi was being treated in an “inappropriate manner” in prison, and that his government was following developments with Lebanon.

He stressed that he was in contact with Mikati to find out the details of the file of Gaddafi’s son, stressing that his detention was illegal and that he is not subject to a fair trial.

“Hannibal is not an ordinary person, he is the son of Muammar Gaddafi and whoever has an opinion or accusation should be tried in Libyan courts,” he said.

In 2015, Hannibal Gaddafi was kidnapped in Syria and transferred to Lebanon, where he is currently in prison as part of an investigation into the disappearance of Amal movement leader Moussi al-Sadr in 1978 in Libya.

The national unity government has formed a national committee to follow up on the situation of Gaddafi’s son, and Dbeibeh said it will travel to Lebanon to closely follow up the issue.

The committee was headed by Halima Abdel Rahman, minister of justice in the national unity government, and Omar Katie, undersecretary of the Libyan Foreign Ministry.

The committee also included “three other members, the Presidential Council Adviser, the Director of the Office of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Council, and a legal member of the Council’s Office of Legal Affairs and Complaints” (without naming them).

In the face of the charges leveled against the Lebanese government by Dbeibeh, Najib Mikati denied all statements, denying that he had received any telephone call from any Libyan source and stressing that he could not bear any repercussions in the case.

The late Libyan colonel and two of his companions were kidnapped in Libya by the Shia sect during an official visit, but the former Libyan regime denied this accusation repeatedly, confirming that the three had left Tripoli for Italy.

Amal is apparently seeking any information about the fate of Moussi al-Sadr or the location of his remains in Libya.