Libya’s GNA won’t hand Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi to ICC

The Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) has decided not to hand over Saif Gaddafi, son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, to the International Criminal Court (ICC) where he faces trial for charges of crimes against humanity during the revolt against his father’s rule in 2011.

The Libyan justice ministry said in a statement on Saturday that it would not extradite Said Al-Islam, stressing its adherence to “the absolute sovereignty of the Libyan state, and its exclusive right to prosecute its citizens on charges against them before its national judiciary”.

ICC Prosecutor General Fatou Bensoua confirmed a few days ago that her office has credible information concerning the whereabouts of three suspects; including Saif Gaddafi whom the ICC issued arrest warrants against. According to Bensoua, Gaddafi is currently in the city of Zintan, southwestern Libya.

The prosecutor called on all states, including Libya and Egypt, to facilitate the immediate arrest and extradition of Libyan fugitives, pointing out that “the three ICC fugitives stand accused of grave international crimes. These crimes include the war crimes of murder, torture, cruel treatment and outrages upon personal dignity, and the crimes against humanity of persecution, imprisonment, torture, and other inhumane acts.”

The other suspects are Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled who is in Egypt and Mahmoud Al-Werfalli who is in the Benghazi area of Libya.

READ: Libya’s day of shame at the International Criminal Court