The Supreme Court has ruled the long-standing ‘Jihad Tax’ unconstitutional, marking a significant legal victory against a law that had been in place for over five decades.
The decision by the court’s Constitutional Chamber comes after lawyer Ali Al-Senussi Manaa filed a case challenging the legitimacy of Law No. 44 of 1970, which mandated a 3% salary deduction from employees earning more than 100 Libyan dinars. The funds were directed to the Libyan Jihad Fund, established 'to support Islamic struggles against colonial forces.'
Manaa argued that the tax was imposed without employees’ consent, placing an unjust burden on workers amid economic hardships. He also pointed out that Libya’s government has sufficient financial reserves to cover such expenditures, making the tax redundant.
The case was filed against key Libyan institutions, including the House of Representatives, the General National Congress, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Ministry of Finance, as well as officials overseeing the Islamic Call Society, the Zakat Fund, and the Tax Authority.
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