Hannibal Gaddafi, the youngest son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, was released in Lebanon after a decade of detention without trial in connection with the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr.
Hannibal Gaddafi was released on Monday, November 10, after nearly 10 years of imprisonment in Lebanon. The detention was related to the investigation into the 1978 disappearance of Lebanese Shiite cleric Imam Musa al-Sadr, who vanished during a visit to Libya. At the time of al-Sadr’s disappearance, Gaddafi junior was only two years old.
Human rights organizations repeatedly termed the charges against Gaddafi as “baseless.” Lebanese judicial authorities in October 2025 decided to release Hannibal on bail. Initially, the bail was set at 11 million US dollars, but later reduced to 900,000. The decision also lifted the entry ban.
After being released, Hannibal Gaddafi posted the required bail. Meanwhile, the Libyan Government of National Unity thanked the Lebanese authorities for their cooperation and expressed hope for the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which have been strained for decades due to the imam’s disappearance.
