Follow Us:

ICC Suspect Muammar Gaddafi Reported Dead: Latest Media Statements and Reports

20 Oct 2011

Dear all,

It is being reported that former Libyan leader Muammar Mohammed Abu Minyar Gaddafi died in Libya today 20 October 2011. Muammar Gaddafi is wanted by the ICC for crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Libya since 15 February 2011 onwards.

ICC warrants of arrest remain outstanding for Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, former Libyan government spokesman and son of Muammar Gaddafi, and Abdullah Al-Senussi, former director of military intelligence.

The ICC is the world's first and only permanent international court to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Please find below latest media statements and news articles following this reported development (I) as well as previous media statements issued relating to the situation in Libya (II).

Please also take note of the Coalition's policy on situations before the ICC (below), which explicitly states that the Coalition will not take a position on potential and current situations before the Court or situations under analysis. The Coalition, however, will continue to provide the most up-to-date information about the ICC.

Best regards,

CICC Secretariat
www.coalitionfortheicc.org

************************

I. ICC SUSPECT MUAMMAR GADAFFI REPORTED DEAD

A. COALITION MEMBER MEDIA STATEMENT

1. Death of Gaddafi denies justice to victims," No Peace Without Justice, Press release, 20 October 2011, http://www.npwj.org/ICC/Death-Gaddafi-denies-justice-victims.html

After months of brutal war, the last remaining bastion of Gaddafi's forces, Sirte, has been liberated. However, the victory is marred by reports that Colonel Gaddafi, while captured, has died of wounds sustained during the battle.

"Colonel Gaddafi does not deserve the honour of a battlefield death; his victims deserved that justice be done for the crimes committed against them", said Alison Smith, Legal Counsel of No Peace Without Justice, speaking on behalf of No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) and the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT).

"Colonel Gaddafi's crimes should have been exposed to the world in a court of law, through a fair trial by an independent court, conducted in full respect of the human rights he had denied to so many thousands of Libyans during his regime. His death, if confirmed, denies justice to his victims who will not have the opportunity to face him in court and obtain the redress that is rightfully theirs.

"For the same reasons, we equally regret reports earlier this month of the death of Gaddafi's co-accused, Abdullah Al-Senussi, colonel in the Libyan Armed Forces and head of the Military Intelligence under Gaddafi. It is now imperative that all efforts are expended to find, capture and transfer Saif Al-Islam, the son of Gaddafi and the last remaining fugitive from the ICC for crimes against humanity in Libya.

"The people of Libya deserve and demand justice and redress for the past, to lay the ground for a better, stable future for a new Libya based on human rights and the rule of law."

NPWJ runs a Transitional Justice program in Libya, assisting civil society and nascent institutions in establishing truth and justice mechanisms and processes.

B. EU STATEMENT

1. "Joint statement by President Herman Van Rompuy and President José Manuel Barroso on the death of Muammar Gaddafi", 20 October 2011,
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/125447.pdf

"The reported death of Muammar Gaddafi marks the end of an era of despotism and repression from which the Libyan people have suffered for too long. Today Libya can turn a page in its history and embrace a new democratic future. We call on the National Transitional Council to pursue a broad based reconciliation process which reaches out to all Libyans and enables a democratic, peaceful and transparent transition in the country."

C. RELATED NEWS

1. "Gaddafi killed as Libya's revolt claims hometown," Reuters, 20 October 2011, http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/20/us-libya-idUSTRE79F1FK20111020
2. "Libyan forces 'capture Gaddafi'," BBC, 20 October 2011, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15385955
3. "Muammar Gaddafi killed in gun battle," Al-Jazeera, 20 October 2011, http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/10/20111020111520869621.html
4. "Report: Gaddafi Captured, Says Libyan TV," AP, 20 October 2011, http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2097359,00.html#ixzz1bKFCiOnt
5. "Reports surface of Gadhafi's capture, death," CNN, 20 October 2011, http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/20/world/africa/libya-war/index.html?hpt=T1

II. OTHER MEDIA STATEMENTS

1. "Libyan NTC pledges to investigate rights violations," Amnesty International, 14 September 2011, http://amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/libyan-ntc-pledges-investigate-rights-violations-2011-09-14
2. "Libya: Transitional Government Should Support Victims," Human Rights Watch News, 19 September 2011, http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/09/19/libya-transitional-government-should-support-victims
3. "Open Letter to Mr Mahmoud Jibril, Prime Minister of the National Transitional Council of Libya," FIDH, 19 September 2011, http://www.fidh.org/Open-Letter-to-Mr-Mahmoud-Jibril
4. "Libya: Burkina Faso and Niger Back Gaddafi's Victims," Elise Keppler, Human Rights Watch, 16 September 2011, http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/09/16/libya-burkina-faso-and-niger-back-gaddafis-victims
5. "Libya's Neighbours must not Shield al-Gaddafi from Prosecution," Amnesty International, 8 September 2011, http://amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/libya’s-neighbours-must-not-shield-al-gaddafi-prosecution-2011-09-08
6. "Qaddafi: No Asylum Across Libya's Southern Border," Alison Cole, Open Society Foundations Blog, 7 September 2011, http://blog.soros.org/2011/09/qaddafi-no-asylum-across-libyas-southern-border/
7. "Continued Targeting of Subsaharan Africans in Libya: Urgent Protection Measures Required: Open Letter to David Cameron, British Prime Minister," FIDH, 20 September 2011, http://www.fidh.org/CONTINUED-TARGETING-OF-SUBSAHARAN
8. "Libya: Protect Civilians in Sirte Fighting; Ensure Humane Treatment of Prisoners," Human Rights Watch, media statement, 11 October 2011, http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/10/11/libya-protect-civilians-sirte-fighting
9. "Oral Statement by Human Rights Watch on Libya," Human Rights Watch, 19 September 2011, http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/09/19/oral-statement-hrw-libya
10. "Libya: NTC must take control to prevent spiral of abuses," Amnesty International, 13 September 2011, http://amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/libya-ntc-must-take-control-prevent-spiral-abuses-2011-09-12
11. "Warring Libyan Forces Must Allow Humanitarian Aid To Reach Sirte," Amnesty International, 3 October 2011, http://amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/warring-libyan-forces-must-allow-humanitarian-aid-reach-sirte-2011-10-03
12. "FIDH and LDH file a complaint concerning the responsibility of the company AMESYS in relation to acts of torture," International Federation for Human Rights, media statement, 19 October 2011, http://fidh.org/FIDH-and-LDH-file-a-complaint
13. "New Libya 'stained' by Detainee Abuse," Amnesty International, media statement, 13 October 2011, http://amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/new-libya-’stained’-detainee-abuse-2011-10-13
14. "Libya: Detention abuses staining the new Libya," Amnesty International, 13 October 2011, http://amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE19/036/2011/en/e1c30d0f-8ec3-4368-8537-03f1bb15a051/mde190362011en.pdf [REPORT]
15. "Libya: Halt Exhumations of Mass Graves," Human Rights Watch, 22 September 2011, http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/09/22/libya-halt-exhumations-mass-graves
16. "EU Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions on Libya," European Union Luxembourg, Brussels, 10 October 2011, http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/125012.pdf
17. "Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton on allegations of violations committed in Libya," High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the Commission, 14 September 2011, http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/124591.pdf

*************************************

CICC's policy on the referral and prosecution of situations before the ICC:

The Coalition for the ICC is not an organ of the court. The CICC is an independent NGO movement dedicated to the establishment of the International Criminal Court as a fair, effective, and independent international organization. The Coalition will continue to provide the most up-to date information about the ICC and to help coordinate global action to effectively implement the Rome Statute of the ICC. The Coalition will also endeavor to respond to basic queries and to raise awareness about the ICC's trigger mechanisms and procedures, as they develop. The Coalition as a whole, and its secretariat, do not endorse or promote specific investigations or prosecutions or take a position on situations before the ICC. However, individual CICC members may endorse referrals, provide legal and other support on investigations, or develop partnerships with local and other organizations in the course of their efforts.

Communications to the ICC can be sent to:

ICC
P.O. Box 19519
2500 CM The Hague
The Netherlands