The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed that the case involving Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi will remain legally open unless an official death certificate is submitted, reinforcing that the court still considers the matter active despite years of conflicting reports regarding his fate.
Speaking from The Hague, ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan stated that the court has not received any official documentation confirming the death of the son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. She explained that without certified legal proof, the court cannot formally close the case or cancel the international arrest warrant issued against him in 2011.
Khan emphasized that all legal procedures linked to the case will remain in force until the required legal conditions are fulfilled. She described the death certificate as the decisive legal document necessary to terminate proceedings before the court.
The ICC’s clarification has reignited political and legal debate surrounding the fate of Saif Al-Islam, whose case remains one of the most sensitive and controversial issues connected to Libya’s post-2011 conflict. More than a decade after the arrest warrant was issued over allegations linked to crimes during the uprising, uncertainty continues regarding both his legal status and personal fate.
Meanwhile, a group identifying itself as supporters of Saif Al-Islam criticized the ICC’s position, accusing the court of focusing on administrative procedures while failing to investigate what they described as an alleged assassination. The group argued that the Office of the Prosecutor has not taken sufficient practical steps in recent years to support Libyan investigations or clarify the circumstances surrounding reports of his death.
The statement also called on the ICC to coordinate with Libya’s Office of the Attorney General to support ongoing investigations and establish the full facts surrounding the case. Supporters warned against attempts to close or marginalize the issue without a comprehensive legal inquiry.
