Libya reacts to the issuance of arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC)

Following the issue of arrest warrants for each of Muammar Gaddafi, Saif-el-Islam Gaddafi and Abdulla Senussi, and following the official reaction of the National Transitional Council in Benghazi, Lawyers for Justice in Libya has received official reactions from a number of key areas in Libya which remain under the control of, or threat of attack from, government forces.

We share some highlights from the official reactions from the Misratah Legal Committee, the Nalut Legal Committee and the Tripoli Council:

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The legal committee for the investigation and documentation of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Misratah (Misratah Legal Committee)

The Misratah Legal Committee broadcast the decision live in the city’s “Liberation Square”, where it was met with celebration and cheers.  The Misratah Legal Committee said, “today is a day of justice after all the suffering we have endured in the last four months, including kidnappings, the murder of innocent civilians including children, torture, rape, the destruction of our city, blockade and starvation.  The international community replied to the call for justice quickly and reacted efficiently to our legitimate claims and referred the situation to the ICC for investigation.”  The Misratah Legal Committee further said, “ Misratah will do everything in its capacity to help implement this decision and calls on its brothers and sisters in other cities to help respect the principles of international law, and Libyan law, and to arrest the criminals Muammar Gaddafi, Saif-el-Islam Gaddafi and Abdulla Senussi.”

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The legal committee for the investigation and documentation of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Nalut (Nalut Legal Committee) 

The Nalut Legal Committee said, “the Great Revolution of February 17 was very peaceful in calling for freedom and justice, but the Libyan regime in Tripoli refused to hear that call, responding instead with violence against the people in the city of Nalut and the Nafusa Mountains region.  After all that we have suffered, this decision comforts us and our families which have been victims, and the many who are now refugees living in Tunisia.”

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The Tripoli Council 

The Tripoli Council responded to the arrest warrant by stating, “ we welcome the decision and look forward to the people around them to respect the law by arresting Gaddafi, his son and brother-in-law.”

LFJL will continue to support the legal bodies throughout Libya, as well as those conducting investigations regionally and internationally, to promote justice and human rights in Libya.

The statements above have been translated from Arabic by LFJL and do not constitute official translations.

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For the full-text of the original statments in Arabic, click the links below. 

Misratah Legal Committee Official Statement 

Nalut Legal Committee Official Statement

The Tripoli Council Official Statement