Lebanon frees Hannibal Gaddafi after nearly a decade in detention

Lebanese authorities have released Hannibal Gaddafi, the youngest son of Libya’s late leader Muammar Gaddafi, after almost ten years in custody without trial. His release marks the end of one of Lebanon’s most prolonged and politically sensitive detentions, tied to a decades-old mystery surrounding the disappearance of a prominent Shiite cleric.

The Lebanese National News Agency confirmed that Gaddafi was freed on Monday following an agreement between Lebanese officials and Libyan mediators. He had been held since 2015 over allegations related to the 1978 disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr, a revered Shiite religious leader who vanished during a visit to Libya. Although Gaddafi was only a child at the time, his detention became entangled in the lingering tensions between Beirut and Tripoli.

Hannibal Gaddafi, now 49, was living in Syria when he was kidnapped by an armed group and brought to Lebanon nearly a decade ago. He was later taken into custody by Lebanese authorities and accused of withholding information about the fate of Imam al-Sadr, who was last seen meeting with senior Libyan officials during Muammar Gaddafi’s rule. Despite repeated requests from international organizations, he was never formally charged or tried.

Over the years, his detention drew criticism from human rights groups, who argued that keeping him in custody without trial violated international law. His lawyers maintained that he had no knowledge of al-Sadr’s disappearance and had become a political hostage caught between historical grievances and modern-day power struggles.

Following his release, Gaddafi’s legal team issued a statement thanking Lebanese officials for what they described as “an act of justice long overdue.” They added that Gaddafi planned to return to Libya to reunite with his family and continue his recovery from years of imprisonment. Reports suggest that his release followed months of diplomatic negotiations involving Libyan authorities and several regional actors seeking to normalize relations.

The disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr remains one of the Middle East’s most enduring mysteries. Al-Sadr, who founded Lebanon’s Amal Movement, was a key religious and political figure before vanishing in Tripoli alongside two companions. Libya has long denied involvement, but many in Lebanon’s Shiite community have continued to demand accountability from the Gaddafi family.

Lebanese officials have not disclosed whether new developments in the case prompted Gaddafi’s release, though sources close to the investigation suggested that it was the result of political reconciliation rather than legal resolution.

Hannibal Gaddafi’s freedom closes a complex chapter in Lebanon’s recent history, one shaped by decades of mistrust and the echoes of past regimes. Yet, for many families still searching for answers about Imam al-Sadr, the case remains painfully unfinished.