15 years after diplomatic crisis Muammar al-Gaddafi's son wants asylum in Switzerland
Hannibal Gaddafi, once the cause of a diplomatic crisis between Switzerland and Libya, is now seeking asylum in Geneva from a Lebanese prison. The irony of the story could not be greater.
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- Hannibal Gaddafi triggered a diplomatic crisis between Switzerland and Libya 15 years ago.
- Today he is imprisoned in Lebanon and wants asylum in Switzerland.
- His family is fighting for him internationally, but his situation remains unclear.
15 years ago, Hannibal Gaddafi caused a serious diplomatic crisis between Switzerland and Libya. Today he is in a Lebanese prison - and is seeking asylum in Switzerland. This is reported by "Blick".
The son of former Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi - who was overthrown in 2011 - is hoping for help from Geneva, the city he was forced to leave in 2008 after his arrest.
Hannibal Gaddafi was arrested in Geneva in July 2008. The reason: he was suspected of abusing two domestic servants. The reactions from the Libyan capital Tripoli were brutal: threats, cuts in oil supplies, arrests, the closure of the Swiss embassy. The regime threatened to "reduce Switzerland to rubble".
The dictator even had two Swiss businessmen arrested. They were held hostage in the country for months. The then President of the Swiss Confederation, Hans-Rudolf Merz, travelled to Libya to apologize, but returned without success.
In custody without trial since 2015
Today, the Gaddafi clan no longer has a state, an army or embassies. And Hannibal Gaddafi has been held without trial in Lebanon since 2015 - in connection with the disappearance of the Shia imam Musa Sadr in 1978. But the Gaddafi son was three years old at the time of the incident.
Officially, the Libyan has been charged with "withholding information". However, his lawyers, his wife, his two children and his sister accuse the authorities of arbitrary detention resulting from revenge and political pressure.
For Switzerland, the name Hannibal Gaddafi is probably associated with humiliation and state blackmail. But now he wants to return to Switzerland. He wants to apply for asylum in Geneva, where he once led a luxurious life.
His lawyer, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) did not want to give "Blick" any information about his asylum efforts. However, the SEM emphasizes that each asylum application is examined individually.
Protection under several international legal instruments
In recent months, Gaddafi's relatives have stepped up their diplomatic efforts to draw attention to his detention. They have turned to international figures such as US President Donald Trump and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
As a prisoner without a fair trial and potentially subjected to inhumane treatment, Hannibal Gaddafi could theoretically enjoy the protection of several international legal instruments - including those of the Geneva Conventions.
The decision as to whether Gaddafi is granted asylum lies with the country in which he applies - which is a disadvantage for him. In addition, cooperation with the local authorities is difficult because he is far away. As long as the dispute over the Shiite cleric is not resolved, nothing is likely to change.