Libya Alhurra Updates

The Paperwork of a Man at War

June 25, 2011 - New Zealand Herald:

The dark green box files are packed in rows that stretch up to the ceiling - as dull as dull could be. But the papers hidden inside them will sink Muammar Gaddafi.

In these boxes, hidden at a secure location in the besieged rebel city of Misrata, lie thousands of documents containing the orders given by the Libyan leader and transmitted by his generals to unleash the torture, arrest and bombardment that have torn the country apart. For war crimes prosecutors, they are pure gold.

The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, has already filed indictments against Gaddafi, his son, Saif al-Islam, and his intelligence chief, Abdullah Senussi, for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Observer was granted exclusive access to view some of the files and found the paperwork astonishing. On the top of one file is a letter from March 4, two weeks after Misrata rose up, signed by the general in charge of quelling the protest: Youssef Ahmed Basheer Abu Hajar. It tells its “fighting formations”: “It is absolutely forbidden for supply cars, fuel and other services to enter the city of Misrata from all gates and checkpoints.”

Or, to put it more bluntly, Gaddafi ordered his army to inflict starvation on the citizens of Misrata.

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ICC judges to announce Gadhafi warrant decision

June 23, 2011 - Associated Press:

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — International judges said Thursday they will rule next week on whether to order the arrest of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi for allegedly orchestrating deadly attacks on civilians, a decision that could turn the embattled strongman into a prisoner in his own country.

A judicial panel of the court will announce Monday whether it will issue arrest warrants for Gadhafi, his son Seif al-Islam Gadhafi and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanoussi.

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Libya Rebels Prepare for Democratic Transition

May 19, 2011 - By Asmaa Elourfi for Magharebia in Benghazi:

Dr Salwa Fawzi El-Deghali is a member of Libya’s National Transitional Council (TNC), the body tasked with preparing a post-Kadhafi government. As chair of the Legal Advisory Committee, El-Deghali is intimately involved in the work of rebuilding a functioning government, re-establishing law and order and preparing for elections.

El-Deghali is also charged with documenting Moamer Kadhafi’s violent crackdown and alleged crimes against humanity and is preparing evidence on Kadhafi for the International Criminal Court (ICC). Magharebia sat down with her in Benghazi to hear her side of the story.

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ICC to investigate institutionalized gang-rape of women in Libya

May 17, 2011 -The Hague, Netherlands (CNN)

Security forces in Libya are allegedly using sexual enhancement drugs as a “machete” and gang-raping women they stop at checkpoints, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has said.

Luis Moreno-Ocampo told CNN Monday that the court in The Hague will investigate allegations of institutionalized rape in the war-torn country.

“There are rapes. The issue is who organized them,” Luis Moreno-Ocampo told CNN’s Nic Robertson. “They were committed in some police barracks. Were the policemen prosecuted? What happened?” he asked.

Moreno-Ocampo said the criminal court has information about women who were stopped at checkpoints and, because they were carrying the flag of the rebels, were taken by police and gang raped.

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Prosecutors: Senior Libyan officials offer information to war crimes court case

May 15, 2011 - Washington Post:

Senior officials in the embattled government of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi have come forward to offer evidence to the International Criminal Court in its investigation of widespread murder and persecution, prosecutors said Sunday.

“During the last week, the Office of the Prosecutor received several calls from high-level officials in Gadhafi’s regime willing to provide information,” prosecutors said in a statement. They did not elaborate on the nature of the information or name the officials.

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Gaddafi has until end of May for exile deal: Italy

May 11, 2011 - AFP via StraitTimes:

LIBYAN leader Muammar Gaddafi has until the end of May to agree his exile before an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court is issued, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said on Wednesday.

‘There are countries that in recent weeks have indicated… a willingness to welcome him,’ Mr Frattini said in an interview with RAI public radio.

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Strong proof of Libya crimes against humanity-ICC

NEW YORK, May 2 (Reuters) - International Criminal Court investigators have proof that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s forces committed crimes against humanity, and the court’s chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said on Monday he would soon ask for up to five arrest warrants.

The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously in February to refer Gaddafi’s violent crackdown against anti-government demonstrators to The Hague-based ICC and Moreno-Ocampo said his first recommendations for indictments should reach ICC judges within weeks.

“We have strong evidence on the beginning of the conflict, the shooting of civilians,” he told Reuters in an interview, noting that killing unarmed civilians would qualify as a crime against humanity.

“Also, we have strong evidence of the crime of persecution,” he said. This includes “massive arrests and torture of people, and some forced disappearances … (for) talking to journalists or going to demonstrations.”

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