Hannibal Gaddafi, son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has decided to begin a new hunger strike in Lebanon to protest his prolonged detention without trial since 2015. The decision was revealed in a statement from his family, published on Wednesday and confirmed on Thursday by Lebanese outlet L’Orient-Le Jour.
Hannibal, who was kidnapped from Syria and handed over to Lebanese authorities in 2015, faces accusations related to the 1978 disappearance of Lebanese Shiite cleric Musa al-Sadr in Libya. Hannibal was only two years old at the time of Sadr’s disappearance. Despite the absence of formal charges, he has remained in custody for nearly a decade.
According to an informed source, the hunger strike is viewed as “the only means” left to advance his legal case. Hannibal has previously undertaken similar protests, resulting in hospitalisation, most recently in June 2023.
The family statement accused Lebanese authorities of ignoring repeated calls by Libya’s Ministry of Justice for Hannibal’s release. The ministry reportedly sent a memorandum expressing willingness to cooperate in the al-Sadr case, but Lebanese judicial authorities have yet to act.
Labeling the detention as “arbitrary,” the Gaddafi family said it holds the Lebanese government “fully responsible, legally and humanely, for Hannibal’s health and safety.” They warned that his continued imprisonment without due process could have severe consequences.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has met with the al-Sadr family since his recent election and vowed to pursue the case. Al-Sadr is widely respected in Lebanon for his efforts to promote unity and shield the country from regional conflicts.
As international pressure mounts, the Libyan government continues to demand justice and due process for its citizen held abroad.
