The Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court annulled the decision of the Tripoli Court of Appeal of June 2022 regarding the Abu Salim prison massacre case. The decision stipulated that the court had no jurisdiction to consider the case and transferred it to the military judiciary.
The Supreme Court decided to reconsider the lawsuit filed against the defendants by the victims’ families and human rights organizations, and to refer it to the Tripoli Court of Appeal through a new judicial body.
Abu Salim prison massacre dates back to 1996, when security forces affiliated with Muammar Gaddafi's regime killed more than 1,200 prisoners after protests broke out inside the prison.
A number of officials from the former regime are facing charges of involvement in this massacre, including Abdullah Al-Senussi, head of the intelligence service, and Mansour Daw, head of Gaddafi’s private guard.
In 2019, a court in Tripoli ruled to drop charges against all defendants in this case. Then in 2021, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling and made a retrial by assigning it to a new criminal chamber.
The case is witnessing great interest from local and international public opinion, as the plaintiffs are demanding to reveal the truth of what happened and to bring justice for the victims and their families.
