Lebanese Justice Minister Adel Nassar confirmed on Saturday that the Ministry of Justice is waiting for a ruling from the investigative judge on whether Hannibal Gaddafi, son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, will be released. Hannibal has been imprisoned in Lebanon since 2015.
In December 2015, Lebanese authorities issued a detention order accusing him of withholding information about the disappearance of prominent Shiite cleric Musa al-Sadr and his two companions during a visit to Libya in 1978. At the time, Hannibal was only two years old, raising longstanding questions about the validity of linking him to the case.
Following Nassar’s remarks to Al-Hadath TV, the lawyer representing al-Sadr’s family strongly criticized the minister’s statement, accusing him of interfering in judicial matters. The family described his comments as “a dangerous precedent” that undermines judicial independence and places undue pressure on the investigation.
The case has recently attracted renewed international attention. On August 28, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on Lebanese authorities to “immediately release” Hannibal Gaddafi, describing his nearly decade-long detention as arbitrary. HRW also urged that he be compensated and that those responsible for his situation face accountability.
According to HRW, Hannibal complained during a recent visit about deteriorating health, restrictions on family contact, and harsh prison conditions.
The disappearance of Musa al-Sadr remains one of Lebanon’s most sensitive unresolved cases, with deep political and sectarian implications. Supporters of al-Sadr continue to demand full accountability, while rights groups argue that Hannibal Gaddafi is being unfairly held for events that occurred when he was a child.
