Lebanon releases son of Libya's Gaddafi after almost decade in detention

Hannibal Gaddafi, son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, was released from a decade of detention in Lebanon regarding the disappearance of Shi'ite cleric Imam Musa al-Sadr. He had been in custody since 2015 after being abducted in Syria, where he lived in exile.

Gaddafi faced accusations of hiding information about Sadr, who disappeared in 1978. Human rights groups criticized these charges as "spurious," noting Gaddafi was only two when Sadr vanished. After a hunger strike in 2023, his health declined, leading to a court ruling for his release.

Bail was initially set at $11 million but later reduced to around $900,000. His release marks a potential thaw in diplomatic relations between Libya and Lebanon.