Court to Rule on Gaddafi’s Son Over War Crimes in Libya

CAIRO (Sputnik) — A Libyan court is to rule Tuesday on the case of Saif Islam Gaddafi, son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and other former regime officials accused of war crimes during the 2011 revolution, Tripoli's Prosecutor General said.

Saif Islam Gaddafi and 37 former Libyan officials were accused of committing war crimes during the 2011 unrest that ended in the overthrow of the country's long-standing leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The former Lybian leader’s older son will be sentenced in absence, as he is held by the local armed militias in the Libyan city of Zintan refusing to comply with Tripoli's government. Currently there are two rival governments in Libya, the internationally-recognized Libyan government in Tobruk and the other in Tripoli.

On Monday, Tobruk's Justice Minister Mabrouk Ghraira urged international community not to recognize the final sentence, since 'the Tripoli trial of the Gaddafi-era officials is illegal and is carried out by militants.'

The former politicians are charged with ordering murders of protesters, torture and crimes against humanity. According to Libyan legislation, such crimes can be punished by death penalty.