Lebanon

Hannibal Gaddafi Granted $11M Bail After Decade in Prison

OCT 18 2025·Updated OCT 19 2025

Story

Above: Hannibal Kadhafi in Tripoli on Sept. 2, 2009. Image credit: Mahmud Turkkia/AFP/Getty Images

The Facts

A Lebanese judge on Friday ordered the release of Hannibal Gaddafi, son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, on $11 million bail after nearly a decade of detention without trial. Judge Zaher Hamadeh imposed a two-month travel ban as an additional condition.
Al Jazeera
The Associated Press
Mizan News Agency
Hannibal has been detained in Lebanon since 2015 following his abduction from Syria by unknown assailants. Lebanese authorities arrested him over allegations of withholding information about the disappearance of prominent Imam Musa al-Sadr.
Middle East Monitor
The Associated Press
Kuwait Times on Instagram
The case involves the disappearance of al-Sadr and two companions during an official visit to Libya in 1978. Lebanon's Shiite community held the late Gaddafi regime responsible for the abduction.
AA
Al Jazeera
Shafaq News
According to his attorneys, Hannibal is neither a suspect nor a witness in the disappearance of al-Sadr and his two aides. His defense team also accuses the al-Sadr family of issuing statements for "media distraction."
This is Beirut
Kurdistan24
The Nation
Further, Hannibal's attorneys state that he does not possess the required bail amount, noting that his assets have been frozen under international sanctions since 2012, while he was only two years old when al-Sadr disappeared.
Rok News Agency
The Associated Press
Mario Nawfal on X
This comes after Libya formally requested Hannibal's release in 2023, citing his deteriorating health after he went on a hunger strike to protest his detention, while Human Rights Watch urged Lebanon to release him immediately.
Al Jazeera
The Associated Press
Al-Monitor

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

While the ruling is a positive step in a long-stalled case, the $11 million bail for Hannibal is a paralyzing decision that violates basic justice and human rights standards. His decade-long detention was arbitrary and unjustified, demanding immediate release and a state apology. The judiciary must correct this grave injustice.

Ashraf Rifi on X

ME24 - Middle East 24 on X

Narrative B

This order is a dangerous political interference in Lebanon's judiciary, with media campaigns and ministerial bias corrupting the process. The investigation deliberately avoided core accusations while manipulating public opinion about his condition. This sets a troubling precedent that undermines justice for victims' families.

Observe Lebanon on X

Narrative C

If Lebanon apologizes to Hannibal, it implies state guilt, making it legally liable if Gaddafi seeks compensation. Yet everyone knows who caused his arbitrary detention. Why must the state pay for individuals' mistakes? The real culprit should be named and held accountable.