Libya’s Minister of Justice in the Government of National Unity, Halima Abdulrahman, has blamed unnamed Lebanese parties for obstructing the closure of the case concerning Imam Musa al-Sadr for “political purposes.”
She reaffirmed that her ministry was closely following the case of Hannibal Gaddafi, who is being held in Lebanon in connection with the same case, as part of “Libya’s commitment to protecting the rights of its citizens abroad.”
In a statement to Lebanon’s Al-Nahar newspaper on Friday, Abdulrahman said the Libyan judicial authorities had contacted their Lebanese counterparts regarding the case, attaching a detailed roadmap that presents a practical and comprehensive vision for reaching a fair and just resolution. The plan includes mechanisms for judicial cooperation between the two countries that would lead to the closure of the case and the release of Hannibal Gaddafi.
Abdulrahman stressed Libya’s full readiness to cooperate with Lebanon in all efforts to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of Imam al-Sadr in 1978. She emphasized the importance of resolving the case in a framework of transparency, mutual respect for sovereignty and the law, in a manner that upholds justice and safeguards the dignity and rights of Libyan citizens. She reiterated her openness to all forms of legal cooperation with the Lebanese authorities.
She also pointed out that the initiative is now in the hands of the Lebanese judiciary, and that Libya is still awaiting an official response, noting that the “unjustified delay is a cause for concern.”
The Minister of Justice described the delay as a sign of political exploitation of the Imam al-Sadr case by Lebanese parties unwilling to see the file closed, which negatively affects the course of justice and the basic rights of the detained Libyan citizen. She expressed hope that the case would be addressed “in the spirit of justice and with full respect for legal and human rights.”
