Lebanese media reported that Hannibal Gaddafi, the son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been released from detention in Lebanon after posting bail of 80 billion Lebanese pounds — equivalent to approximately $893,855 at the official exchange rate.
According to the Lebanese outlet Lebanon 24, Judge Zaher Hammadeh issued the decision authorizing Gaddafi’s release, while legal procedures are underway to finalize his exit from the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces, where he had been held.
Hannibal Gaddafi was arrested in Lebanon in 2015 in connection with the decades-old disappearance of Lebanese cleric Musa al-Sadr, who vanished during an official visit to Libya in 1978.
His detention has long been a point of contention between Tripoli and Beirut, with Libyan officials repeatedly calling for his release, arguing that he was being detained on political grounds unrelated to the al-Sadr case.
Libyan media outlets reported that Ali Ishtawi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice in the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, arrived in Lebanon to oversee the final steps of the release process. His visit reflects the Libyan government’s direct involvement in coordinating the legal and diplomatic efforts surrounding the case.
The Government of National Unity had previously announced that it had reached an agreement with Lebanese authorities to secure Gaddafi’s release, thanking Lebanese leaders for their cooperation. In a statement last week, the government expressed its appreciation to Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and other officials for their role in facilitating the process.
Hannibal Gaddafi’s release marks a significant turning point in a long-running case that has strained Libyan-Lebanese relations for years.
