Muammar Mohammed Abu Minyar Gaddafi

Commander of the Armed Forces of Libya, holding the title of Leader of the Revolution, and as such, acting as the Libyan Head of State

Muammar Mohammed Abu Minyar Gaddafi

Commander of the Armed Forces of Libya, holding the title of Leader of the Revolution, and as such, acting as the Libyan Head of State

Cases

The Prosecutor v. Gaddafi

  • Allegations & Charges

      Factual Allegations

      Colonel Muammar Mohammed Abu Minyar Gaddafi ruled Libya since seizing power in 1969, eventually renaming Libya the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamhiriya. Over his 40-year rule, Gaddafi instituted a legal and political regime which allowed him to rule with absolute power. Beginning in January 2011, the OTP alleges that Gaddafi began planning for the possibility of popular protests in Libya after protests were initiated in neighboring Egypt and Tunisia.

      To this end, the OTP alleges that Gaddafi recruited foreign mercenaries to supplement his Security Forces, and planned a campaign to suppress future protests by all means, including through lethal force. This plan allegedly included the shooting of 500-700 protesters by Security Forces during the protests in February 2011. Pursuant to this plan and in order to maintain political power, Gaddafi allegedly ordered Security Forces to carry out widespread and systematic attacks against civilians that Gaddafi perceived as dissidents. According to information from human rights groups, Gaddafi’s forces are allegedly responsible for incidents such as shootings of civilians leaving mosques on February 25, where some 100 people died, for air strikes in Tripoli, where some 228 people died, for bombings in Benghazi, where some 257 people died, and for air strikes and attacks by security forces in the towns of Misrata, Brega, Derna, Zenten, and Ajdabiya where at least 40 people allegedly died.

      Please visit the Court’s website for more information on The Prosecutor v. Gaddafi.

      Charges

      The Accused is alleged to have committed the crimes listed below as an individual, jointly with another or through another person under Article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute.

      Under this mode of criminal liability, the Accused is charged with the following atrocity crimes:

      Murder (Crime against Humanity): Article 7(1)(a)

      Persecution (Crime against Humanity): Article 7(1)(h)

  • Key Events

    • Pre-Trial Chamber I issued a public arrest warrant for Gaddafi on June 27, 2011. The case against him was terminated on November 22, 2011 following his death.

    • Arrest warrant

      Arrest Warrant Issued : June 27, 2011

    • Decision on the termination of proceedings

      Termination of Proceedings : November 22, 2011