Libya Government has released Saadi Gaddafi, son of Libyan former dictator, Muammar Gaddafi who was ousted and killed during the 2011 Nato-backed uprising.
Gatekeepers News reports that Prime Minister-designate Abdul Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the development in a tweet early on Monday, saying Saadi was released in compliance with a previous court order.
Saadi immediately departed on a plane to Istanbul, according to an official who spoke with Reuters.
The former professional footballer had during the uprising in 2011, fled for Niger but was extradited to Libya in 2014 and has been imprisoned in Tripoli since that time.
He was accused of crimes committed against protesters in 2011 and of killing Libyan football coach Bashir al-Rayani in 2005. Saadi was, however, vindicated of al-Rayani’s murder in April 2018.
A source at the prosecutor’s office told the AFP news agency that “the chief prosecutor asked, several months ago, for the execution of the decision relating to Saadi Gaddafi as soon as all the required conditions had been satisfied”.
The source said Saadi was free to stay in the country or leave.
An official source told Reuters that Saadi Gaddafi’s release was due to the negotiations that included senior tribal figures and Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.
Another source told the agency the negotiations also involved former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha.
Gatekeepers News reports that Libya has since the 2011 uprising sunk in chaos, with rival factions contending for power. Three of the seven sons of Muammar Gaddafi were also killed.
In 2020, a ceasefire ended factional fighting that gave room for peace talks and the formation of a transitional government in March. Elections have been scheduled to hold in December.
