A Lebanese judge has ordered the release of Hannibal Gaddafi, son of the late Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi, on a $11 million bail after nearly a decade of pre-trial detention. The decision, announced on Friday, also includes a travel ban. Gaddafi was arrested in 2015 on allegations of withholding information about the disappearance of Lebanese Shiite cleric Mussa Sadr, who vanished during a visit to Libya in 1978. Despite his release, Gaddafi’s lawyer, Laurent Bayon, criticized the bail as “totally unacceptable” in a case of arbitrary detention, citing international sanctions that prevent his client from accessing such funds. Bayon vowed to challenge the decision. Gaddafi, now 49, has faced significant health issues, including severe depression and recent hospitalization for abdominal pain. His prolonged detention has drawn criticism from Human Rights Watch, which called for his immediate release in August, citing unsubstantiated allegations. The case has strained relations between Lebanon and Libya, with Beirut blaming Moamer Gaddafi for Sadr’s disappearance. Hannibal Gaddafi, married to Lebanese model Aline Skaf, fled to Syria after the 2011 Libyan uprising and was later kidnapped and brought to Lebanon. His name has also surfaced in the case of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who was convicted of accepting illegal campaign funds from Moamer Gaddafi. French investigations revealed attempts to corrupt Lebanese judges to secure Hannibal’s release and clear Sarkozy’s name. The case remains a complex web of international intrigue and unresolved tensions.
Lebanese judge orders release of Gaddafi’s son on $11 million bail, issues travel ban
