By Maha Sulaiman.
Benghazi, 29 July 2015:
In what is being seen as a deliberately timed challenge to today’s verdicts in the Tripoli . . .[restrict]court case against Saif Al-Islam and other Qaddafi regime leading officials, the House of Representatives (HoR) in Tobruk has approved an amnesty law for crimes committed by all Libyans from 15 February 2011 till now.
However, there are many exclusions. The Beida office of the Libyan news agency LANA has quoted HoR member Tariq Geroushi saying that the amnesty does not cover terrorism, murder, kidnapping, torture, drug trafficking, sex crimes, assault, smuggling or corruption. It is thought that robbery is also included among the exceptions.
There was said to be a majority of the 99 members present at today’s session in favour of the bill.
The need for an amnesty for Qaddafi-era officials not involved in serious crimes has been stressed by many members of the HoR and other leading Libyan figures. However, there have also ben many calls from political figures and well as on Libyan social media that those who have committed crimes since the revolution, particularly members of militias, be held accountable and punished. [/restrict]
