A Lebanese court has ordered the release on bail of Hannibal Gaddafi, son of late Libyan ruler Moammar Gaddafi, marking a significant development after nearly 10 years of pre-trial detention.
The judge set bail at $11 million and imposed a travel ban on Hannibal, who has been held since his arrest in 2015 over allegations related to the disappearance of Lebanese Shiite cleric Musa al-Sadr in 1978.
Hannibal Gaddafi was accused of withholding information about the cleric’s mysterious disappearance during an official visit to Libya.
His lawyer, Laurent Bayon, condemned the bail as unjust, citing his client’s international sanctions that prevent payment of the bail amount, and announced plans to contest the ruling.
Hannibal, married to a Lebanese model, had fled to Syria before being kidnapped by armed men and taken to Lebanon.
Human Rights Watch has urged Lebanese authorities to release Hannibal immediately, citing the allegations as unsubstantiated and highlighting concerns about his deteriorating health, including severe depression and hospitalization for abdominal pain.
The disappearance of Musa al-Sadr remains a sensitive issue, with Lebanon’s Parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, accusing Libya’s current authorities of obstructing efforts to resolve the case. Libya, however, denies these allegations.
This pending case continues to strain relations between Lebanon and Libya, with public attention focused on the long-standing mystery surrounding the fate of Musa al-Sadr.
