A court in the southern Tunisian town of Tozeur acquitted the Qaddafi regime’s last prime minister, Baghdadi Al-Mahmoudi, on Tuesday on charges . . .[restrict]that he had illegally entered Tunisia when he fled last year. However, he remains in jail pending a decision on Libya’s request that he be extradited.
Mahmoudi, 70, who was arrested in Tunisia on 21 September, is wanted by Libya on number of charges, including corruption and inciting rape in Zuwara. Two extradition requests were submitted to the Tunisian authortities. Both have been approved. However, his Tunisian lawyers are appealing them on the grounds that he could face execution if he returns to Libya. They are trying to obtain refugee status for him.
Following Tuesday’s court ruling, Mahmoudi’s laywer demanded his immediate release. “There is no legal reason to keep him in prison,” Mabrouk Kourchid said . “His detention is illegal and the reasons are purely political.”
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