Gaddafi’s Son in Lebanon: Why Is He Still Banned From Traveling?

Following Lebanon’s decision to grant Hannibal Gaddafi conditional release on bail, his defense attorneys stated that the travel restriction imposed on him is inconsistent with the concept of liberty.

According to Rokna, Hannibal Gaddafi — son of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi — had been detained in Lebanon for allegedly concealing information about the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr and his two companions during their visit to Libya on August 30, 1978. His lawyers argued that imposing bail in this case is legally invalid and that restricting his freedom of movement amounts to an ongoing limitation inconsistent with the court’s order for release.

As reported by Al Arabiya, his legal team stated that it should be Hannibal Gaddafi alone who decides where to travel once all legal restrictions against him are lifted.

On October 17, the Lebanese judiciary ordered Hannibal Gaddafi’s release in exchange for a financial bail of 11 million dollars.

Following this decision, the family of Imam Musa al-Sadr reacted to the investigating judge’s ruling to release Hannibal Gaddafi, who had been detained in connection with the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr and his two companions, Sheikh Mohammad Yaqub and journalist Abbas Badr al-Din.

The al-Sadr family stated that Hannibal Gaddafi’s release had previously been denied because he had been accused of “concealing information and later complicity in the kidnapping and disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr.”

In their statement, the family added that there has been no change in the evidence provided by the prosecution, noting that since his arrest, Hannibal Gaddafi has refused to share any information he possesses that could help uncover the fate or secure the release of Imam Musa al-Sadr and his companions.

The al-Sadr family reaffirmed that they had not interfered in the judicial decisions regarding the case in the past, nor would they intervene in the current ruling granting Hannibal Gaddafi’s release.

They also expressed surprise over the decision to release Hannibal Gaddafi, emphasizing that there has been no progress or development in the case that could justify such a move. Moreover, they referred to reports from several media outlets citing statements made by Gaddafi during the investigation, in which he allegedly claimed that his 2015 arrest had been for his own protection — to prevent his extradition to Libyan authorities under an Interpol warrant. This claim, the family said, further invalidates his legal team’s assertions that his detention was arbitrary.