Read Time: 4 minutes
Wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the NATO-backed uprising, Saif al-Islam completed ‘all the required legal conditions’
Editorial Staff Send an emailNovember 15, 20210 63 3 minutes read
WANTED Libyan war crimes suspect Saif al-Islam Ghadafi, son of slain dictator Muammar Ghadafi and once seen as his heir apparent, registered to run Sunday for next month’s presidential election.
Libya’s first ever direct presidential poll, with a first round on December 24, would mark the climax of a process launched last year by the United Nations to try to draw a line under years of violence since the revolt that toppled Ghadafi in 2011.
Wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the NATO-backed uprising, Saif al-Islam completed ‘all the required legal conditions,’ the election commission said.
‘Saif al-Islam Ghadafi submitted… his candidacy for the presidential election to the High National Electoral Commission office in the city of Sebha,’ it said in a statement.
The 49-year-old, sporting a salt-and-pepper beard, recited a verse from the Koran and thanked those assisting him, saying: ‘God bless you,’ video footage showed.
The commission released pictures showing Saif al-Islam dressed in a traditional Bedouin robe and headdress. He was issued with a voter registration card for the southern Sebha district.
Libya last Monday opened registration for candidates in presidential and parliamentary polls.
Both are slated for December 24, but in early October parliament split the dates of the vote by postponing legislative elections until January.
Political comeback
Foreign powers have been pushing hard for both elections to be still held on the same date, as agreed at UN-led talks last year.
Speculation had been mounting for months over a possible presidential bid by Saif al-Islam, who was also sentenced to death by a Tripoli court in 2017 for crimes committed during the revolt.
In July, Saif al-Islam emerged from years in the shadows and told The New York Times he was planning a political comeback.
In a rare interview, he said he wanted to ‘restore the lost unity’ of Libya after a decade of chaos.
‘I’ve been away from the Libyan people for 10 years. You need to come back slowly, slowly. Like a striptease. You need to play with their minds a little,’ the paper quoted him as saying.
Until the interview, Saif al-Islam had not been seen or heard from since June 2014, when he appeared via video link from Zintan, in the west of the country, during his trial by the Tripoli court.
Although the court sentenced him to death in absentia, a rival administration in the east pardoned him in a decision never confirmed by authorities in Tripoli.
The militia that was holding him in Zintan has repeatedly refused to hand him over to The Hauge-based ICC, and freed him in 2017.
A spokesman for the ICC, Fadi Abdallah, told Libya’s Al-Ahrar television that the court still wants Saif al-Islam.
‘Crossroads’
Analysts say Saif al-Islam’s bid for the presidency will be problematic for Libya’s electoral process.
‘This is only going to complicate the electoral process further,’ said Wolfram Lacher, a senior associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.
World powers meeting in Paris warned Friday that Libya was at a ‘crossroads’ which would determine its future.
‘We urge all Libyan stakeholders and candidates to respect their commitments towards holding elections on 24 December 2021 [and] to accept the results of free, fair and inclusive elections,’ they said in a statement.
Despite a year of relative peace following a ceasefire between eastern and western camps, the process has been overshadowed by wrangling over the legal basis for the votes and the powers attached.
Jalel Harchaoui, a Libya specialist at the Global Initiative think-tank, said that ‘the fact that Seif has submitted his candidacy can only add to the fragility of the election project.’
Speculation has also been mounting over possible presidential bids by eastern-based military chief Khalifa Haftar and current Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah.
Former interior minister Fathi Bashagha has confirmed he will run, while others expected to do so include diplomats Aref al-Nayed and Ibrahim Dabbachi, as well as comedian Hatem al-Kour.
‘On December 24, Libyans will be able to choose a president… from among a former aggressor, a man who committed war crimes to seize power, and another one known for his obscene corruption,’ said Tarek Megerisi, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
He was alluding to Saif al-Islam, Haftar and Dbeibah.
This was beautiful Admin. Thank you for your reflections.
I just like the helpful information you provide in your articles
Hi there to all, for the reason that I am genuinely keen of reading this website’s post to be updated on a regular basis. It carries pleasant stuff.
Office 2021 Lisans Anahtarı
Like the way you’ve outlined things. Easy to follow. Not cluttered.
I really believe you will do well in the future I appreciate everything you have added to my knowledge base.
Your posts provide a clear, concise description of the issues.
Have you always been concerned about these issues?
It’s the best time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you some interesting things or tips. Maybe you can write next articles referring to this article. I wish to read even more things about it!
Woh I enjoy your content , saved to bookmarks!
Thank you for the auspicious writeup.
I absolutely adore your site! You aggressive me as able-bodied as all the others actuality and your broiled PS is absolutely great!
I encountered your site after doing a search for new contesting using Google, and decided to stick around and read more of your articles. Thanks for posting, I have your site bookmarked now.
I saw a similar post on another website but the points were not as well articulated.
There most be a solution for this problem, some people think there will be now solutions, but i think there wil be one.
The sketch is tasteful, your authored material stylish.
Greetings, have tried to subscribe to this websites rss feed but I am having a bit of a problem. Can anyone kindly tell me what to do?’
I would really like to appreciate the endeavors you cash in on written this article. I’m going for the similar best product from you finding out in the foreseeable future as well. Actually your creative writing abilities has urged me to begin my very own blog now. Genuinely the blogging is distributing its wings rapidly. Your write down is often a fine illustration showing it.
I think it is a nice point of view. I most often meet people who rather say what they suppose others want to hear. Good and well written! I will come back to your site for sure!
Substantially, the post is really the best on this laudable topic. I concur with your conclusions and will eagerly watch forward to your future updates.Just saying thanx will not just be enough, for the wonderful lucidity in your writing.
Hello this is a wonderful write-up. I’m going to e mail this to my friends. I came on this while searching on yahoo I’ll be sure to come back. thanks for sharing.
You are one talented writer thank you for the post.
Hello. Great job. I did not expect this on a Wednesday. This is a great story. Thanks!
The start of a fast-growing trend?
I like your blog. It sounds every informative.
I Am Going To have to come back again when my course load lets up – however I am taking your Rss feed so i can go through your site offline. Thanks.
Aw, this was a very nice post. In idea I wish to put in writing like this moreover taking time and precise effort to make an excellent article! I procrastinate alot and by no means seem to get something done.
Simply want to say your article is as amazing. The clarity in your post is just great and i can assume you’re an expert on this subject. Fine with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the gratifying work.
Could not disagree with the main ideas. Wonder how things will develop over the coming years.
Very often I go to see this blog. It very much is pleasant to me. Thanks the author
You are one talented writer thank you for the post.
Only a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw outstanding style and design .
I Am Going To have to come back again when my course load lets up – however I am taking your Rss feed so i can go through your site offline. Thanks.
Do you offer workshops?
There are some serious financial ramifications here.
I dont think I’ve read anything like this before. So good to find somebody with some original thoughts on this subject. cheers for starting this up. This blog is something that is needed on the web, someone with a little originality.
We’re developing some community services to respond to this, and your blog is helpful.
Only a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw outstanding style and design .
Nice post.Very useful info specifically the last part 🙂 Thank you and good luck.
A wholly agreeable point of view, I think primarily based on my own experience with this that your points are well made, and your analysis on target.
If most people wrote about this subject with the eloquence that you just did, I’m sure people would do much more than just read, they act. Great stuff here. Please keep it up.
A cool post there mate ! Thank you for posting.
Hello there I am so delighted I found your weblog, I really found you by mistake, while I was searching on Google for something else, Anyhow I am here now and would just like to say cheers for a remarkable post and a all round exciting blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to browse it all at the moment but I have book-marked it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a lot more, Please do keep up the superb work.
Well done! Keep up this quality!
Only a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw outstanding style and design .
Thank you pertaining to sharing the following great subject matter on your website. I ran into it on google. I am going to check to come back after you publish additional aricles.
You ma’am have a way with words. Thank you very much!
Simply wish to say the frankness in your article is surprising.
fantastic internet site, I could definitely go to your web page once more…acquired some really nice info.
Well, I don’t know if that’s going to work for me, but definitely worked for you! 🙂 Excellent post!
I have to say this post was certainly informative and contains useful content for enthusiastic visitors. I will definitely bookmark this website for future reference and further viewing. cheers a bunch for sharing this with us!
I just couldn’t leave your web site prior to suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard info an individual supply to your guests? Is going to be again continuously in order to inspect new posts
Nice blog. Could someone with little experience do it, and add updates without messing it up? Good information on here, very informative.
I like this weblog very much so much great info .
Sweet blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Thank you
Clear, concise and easy to access.
Thank you, I have just been searching for information about this topic for ages and yours is the greatest I’ve discovered till now. But, what about the conclusion? Are you sure about the source?
Very Interesting Information! Thank You For Thi Information!
Your posts provide a clear, concise description of the issues.
Thanks for sharing the information. I found the information very useful. That’s a awesome story you posted. I will come back to scan some more.
Is it okay to put a portion of this on my weblog if perhaps I post a reference point to this web page?
You write Formidable articles, keep up good work.
Appreciation for taking the time to discuss this topic, I would love to discover more on this topic. If viable, as you gain expertise, would you object to updating the website with further information? It is tremendously beneficial for me.
Easily, the post is really the greatest on this laudable topic. I concur with your conclusions and will thirstily look forward to your future updates. Saying thank will not just be sufficient, for the wonderful c lucidity in your writing. I will instantly grab your rss feed to stay privy of any updates. Solid work and much success in your business enterprise!
The start of a fast-growing trend?
Awesome post. It’s so good to see someone taking the time to share this information
Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with some pics to drive the message home a bit, but other than that, this is wonderful blog. A great read. I’ll certainly be back.
I’m partial to blogs and i actually respect your content. The article has actually peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and preserve checking for new information.
Great post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Very useful info specifically the last part 🙂 I care for such info much. I was looking for this certain information for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.
Thank you for the auspicious writeup.
I like the helpful information you provide in your articles. I’ll bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I am quite certain I’ll learn many new stuff right here! Best of luck for the next!
This information is critically needed, thanks.
I am glad to be a visitor of this thoroughgoing web blog ! , regards for this rare information! .
Have you always been concerned about these issues?
Thanks so much for this, keep up the good work 🙂
Nice Post. It’s really a very good article. I noticed all your important points. Thanks.
These kind of posts are always inspiring and I prefer to read quality content so I happy to find many good point here in the post. writing is simply wonderful! thank you for the post
Spot on with this write-up, I actually assume this website needs far more consideration. I will in all probability be once more to learn rather more, thanks for that info.
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that.|
This is something that will need all of our combined efforts to address.