The son of former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi has
been released from prison, according to his lawyer.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was sentenced to death last July
for alleged war crimes during the Arab Spring revolution that overthrew his
father in 2011.
Mr al-Islam’s lawyer, Karim Khan, told France 24 his
client had been set free on 12 April and is “well and safe and in Libya.”
The release was made “in accordance with Libyan law,”
he said, suggesting Gaddafi’s second son would not face any future charges.
Mr Khan said Mr al-Islam was released under an amnesty
declared before the UN-backed unity government led by Fayez al-Sarraj took over
in March.
Mr al-Islam, who is 44 and has a PhD from the London
School of Economics, is still wanted by the International Criminal Court for
crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during his father’s
regime.
According to Mr Khan, this case should be dropped, as Mr
al-Islam has already been tried and sentenced in Libya.
Mr al-Islam was held by a militia in Zintan, north west
Libya, when he was sentenced to death by firing squad in absentia by a court in
Tripoli.
He was found guilty of orchestrating a campaign of
murder, torture and the bombardment of civilians, having denied all charges.
Eight others were also condemned to death, including the
Libya’s former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senoussi, who as also Gaddafi’s
brother-in-law.
Muammar Gaddafi, commonly known as Colonel Gaddafi,
originally took power in a coup in 1969.
He died in October 2011 after weeks of protests in
disputed circumstances after being taken prisoner by opposition militia
members.
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