A military court in Benghazi adjourned after defense lawyers challenged its jurisdiction over 41 men accused of murder in the former regime's anti-rebel crackdown last year.
A Libyan military court in the former rebel stronghold of Benghazi today started and then adjourned for ten days the trial of 41 suspected loyalists to deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi, according to Reuters.
Citing a report by the Libyan news agency LANA, Reuters said the 41 were accused of helping crush the popular uprising which ousted Gaddafi in October.
This is the first criminal trial to be held for any of Gaddafi’s former loyalists.
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The Arabic-language news service LANA was quoted as saying on its website that the adjournment followed “pleadings of the defense panel that argued that this military court is not a competent entity and called for referring the case to the civil judiciary.”
Prosecutors accuse the men of murder and aiding in the escape of prisoners. Reuters cited Intisar al-Agili, a representative of the governing National Transitional Council, as saying the trial had been postponed until Feb 15.
Libyan authorities are currently trying to persuade the International Criminal Court that they should be allowed to try Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who is wanted by the international court on charges of crimes against humanity for his alleged role in suppressing the uprising. If the ICC is not convinced a fair trial can occur on Libyan soil, it may seek to assert jurisdiction over the suspect, who was captured by rebel fighters in November.
The Arabic-language broadcaster Al-Arabiya reported today that Human Rights Watch had in a recent report expressed concerns about the transitional legal system now in place in Libya.
“Libya’s interim government and its international supporters should make it an urgent priority to build a functioning justice system and begin legal reform that protects human rights after Muammar Qaddafi,” the group were quoted as saying in the report.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/120205/libya-stop-start-beginning-1st-trial-gaddafi-loyalists
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