By Ebi Kesiena
Unknown gunmen have launched an odious attack on the court in the southern town of Sebha, forcing it to shut just hours before Seif al-Islam Gaddafi had been due to appeal.
In a statement on Friday, the Government explained that the attackers forced all staff from the court building at gunpoint hours before the appeal hearing.
Ealier, Libya’s electoral commission on Wednesday had announced the rejection of the candidacy of Seif al-Islam, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes.
Seif al-Islam was among 25 of the 98 hopefuls whose bids were turned down for non-compliance with the provisions of the electoral law.
The unsuccessful applicants were given 48 hours to appeal the decision in court, but the attack was launched on Thursday stopping Seif al-Islam’s appearance in court.
Libya’s Government has condemned an attack on a court ahead of an appeal by the son of slain dictator Muammar Gaddafi against the rejection of his Presidential election candidacy.
The December 24 polls comes as Libya seeks to turn a page on a decade of violence that has rocked the oil-rich nation since a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed Gaddafi in 2011.
The final list of candidates is due to be published by early December, once verifications and appeals are completed.
Other hopefuls still in the running include eastern-based strongman Khalifa Haftar, interim premier Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and former interior minister Fathi Bashagha.
Both Presidential and Legislative polls had been slated for December 24, but in early October parliament split the dates of the votes, postponing the legislative elections until January.
However, the path to the ballot box has been lined with disputes over the constitutional basis for the polls and the powers to be given to whoever wins.
