The second son of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi appeared via a video link Sunday at his trial at a court in Tripoli, where he and dozens of former senior regime officials face charges for crimes they are accused of committing during the 2011 revolution.
Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, once his father’s heir apparent, has been held in the western mountain city of Zintan by the militiamen who captured him in 2011. The group has refused to hand him over to the central government, citing security concerns and lawlessness in the capital.
The trial was held under tight security with roads leading to Tripoli’s al-Hadba prison blocked off by security forces and gunmen positioned on the building’s rooftop.
The judge read the charges against the defendants, which included the killing of protesters — a crime punishable by a death sentence — and other alleged crimes to try and suppress the 2011 uprising, CNN informs.
