A Lebanese court has ordered the release of Hannibal Gaddafi, son of Libya’s late leader Muammar Gaddafi, on bail set at $11 million, while imposing a travel ban pending further legal proceedings.
The ruling marks a major development in a case that has strained Libya–Lebanon relations for years. Gaddafi appeared before Judge Zaher Hamadeh at Beirut’s Justice Palace on Thursday for his first formal hearing since his detention, in the presence of lawyers representing the families of Imam Musa al-Sadr and his companions, who disappeared in Libya in 1978.
Gaddafi’s defense team described the bail amount as “excessive and prohibitive”, saying they would appeal to reduce it. They argued that their client’s prolonged detention amounted to arbitrary imprisonment in violation of international human rights conventions.
Earlier, the defense had submitted a memorandum to Lebanon’s Higher Judicial Council, demanding either Gaddafi’s release or a fair and transparent trial.
Hannibal Gaddafi has been held in Lebanon since 2015, accused of withholding information about the disappearance of al-Sadr, a revered Shiite cleric. His release on bail could open a new chapter in the long-running and politically sensitive case, as Lebanese authorities continue to face domestic and international scrutiny over due-process concerns.
