News / Africa
ICC yet to decide where to try Gaddafi's son
23 Nov 2011 at 04:12hrs | Views
No decision has been made on the location of the trial of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, the International Criminal Court (ICC) said on Tuesday.
Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor of the ICC, and deputy prosecutor Fatou Bensouda arrived in Tripoli on Tuesday for talks following the arrest of Muammar Gaddafi's son over the weekend. There were also unconfirmed reports of the arrest of Gaddafi's former intelligence chief Abdullah Al-Senussi.
"I can confirm Moreno-Ocampo at the moment is having conversations with the Libyan authorities," ICC spokesperson Florence Olara told Xinhua.
Members of the Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) earlier said they did not intend to hand over Saif al-Islam Gaddafi to The Hague and wanted him to be tried in Libya.
"The issue of where the trial will be held has to be resolved through consultations with the court," Moreno-Ocampo said in a statement on ICC's website on Tuesday.
"In the end, the ICC judges will decide. There are legal standards which will have to be adhered to," he added.
Warrants for the arrest of Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi and Abdullah Al-Senussi were issued by ICC judges in late June 27. They were indicted with crimes against humanity.
Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor of the ICC, and deputy prosecutor Fatou Bensouda arrived in Tripoli on Tuesday for talks following the arrest of Muammar Gaddafi's son over the weekend. There were also unconfirmed reports of the arrest of Gaddafi's former intelligence chief Abdullah Al-Senussi.
"I can confirm Moreno-Ocampo at the moment is having conversations with the Libyan authorities," ICC spokesperson Florence Olara told Xinhua.
Members of the Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) earlier said they did not intend to hand over Saif al-Islam Gaddafi to The Hague and wanted him to be tried in Libya.
"The issue of where the trial will be held has to be resolved through consultations with the court," Moreno-Ocampo said in a statement on ICC's website on Tuesday.
"In the end, the ICC judges will decide. There are legal standards which will have to be adhered to," he added.
Warrants for the arrest of Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi and Abdullah Al-Senussi were issued by ICC judges in late June 27. They were indicted with crimes against humanity.
Source - Matthews Estell
