Hannibal Gaddafi’s Health Worsens After 10 Years in Detention

Hannibal Gaddafi’s health is declining during his long detention in Lebanon. He has resumed a hunger strike to protest his over ten-year detainment without trial. His lawyer holds Lebanese authorities accountable for his health issues, and the UN is investigating the legality of his detention. The situation is complicated by sensitivities surrounding the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr, which is pivotal to Gaddafi’s case.

Hannibal Gaddafi, son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, is reportedly facing significant health issues during his detention in Lebanon, which has lasted for over a decade. Recently, he has resumed a hunger strike, voicing his protests against being detained without trial. His lawyer has attributed Gaddafi’s declining health to the actions of Lebanese authorities, who have moved him to the hospital three times in one month due to serious health concerns.

In a statement to Al Hadath TV, Gaddafi’s lawyer asserted, “The Lebanese government is fully responsible for my client’s deteriorating health. He has been arbitrarily detained for more than 10 years, without being charged or tried, for a crime he did not commit.” As the situation develops, it has come to light that the UN Human Rights Commission is preparing to question Lebanon about the legitimacy of Gaddafi’s prolonged detention.

Reports indicate that Gaddafi initiated his hunger strike following the Lebanese judicial authorities’ dismissal of a request from Libya’s justice ministry for his release. The Libyan ministry has signaled its willingness to share comprehensive details regarding the 1978 disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr, the Lebanese Shia cleric central to Gaddafi’s legal troubles.

In a complex history, Gaddafi was seized in Syria in 2015, where he had been living under political asylum, and subsequently handed over to Lebanese officials. He has faced accusations of withholding information concerning Sadr and two others who vanished during an official visit to Libya when Gaddafi was just a child. Tragically, he has never been formally charged with any crime.

The long-standing case remains a particularly sensitive issue in Lebanon, especially within the Shia community. While Sadr’s family maintains a belief in his potential survival, most people in Lebanon presume he has passed away, as he would currently be in his nineties.

Despite a Libyan delegation’s visit to Beirut in January 2023 to renegotiate a judicial cooperation accord dating back to 2014, no advancements have emerged since that meeting. Gaddafi’s family released a statement on Wednesday, emphasizing Lebanon’s responsibility for his health and safety, and criticizing attempts to politicize his humanitarian plight.

The family’s statement lamented, “Attempts are being made to exploit this humanitarian case for purely political purposes and temporary interests,” which highlights the distress surrounding Gaddafi’s situation. Additionally, speculation is rising in Lebanon that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, leader of the Amal Movement founded by Sadr, may be hindering the attempt to secure Gaddafi’s release.

Leaked photographs revealing Gaddafi’s conditions while confined in a constrictive underground cell concerned human rights advocates and relatives alike last year. Human Rights Watch has publicly demanded his release, emphasizing that he had no role in Libya’s politics and was merely two years old when Sadr disappeared.

Hannibal Gaddafi’s continued detention in Lebanon raises significant human rights concerns, particularly after his deteriorating health was reported amid a hunger strike. With calls for his release from various sources, including Human Rights Watch, the implications of his case touch on both legal and humanitarian issues against a backdrop of political sensitivities in Lebanon. Lebanon’s responsibility for Gaddafi’s well-being has been strongly asserted, yet obstacles remain in his potential release, reflecting a complicated interplay of historical and political factors.

Original Source: www.newarab.com