Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi expressed his gratitude to Libya's judges through a post on "Twitter," stating that they risked their lives for the sake of truth. This comes after a court in Sebha ruled in favor of his return to the upcoming presidential election. In his tweet, Saif Al-Islam dedicated this victory to all the Libyan people. He tweeted, "All thanks and appreciation to the judges of Libya who risked their lives for the truth, and we dedicate this victory to all the Libyan people... with a special dedication to my aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters who endured the cold nights and stayed awake to protect the court."
Saif Al-Islam's lawyer announced that the court accepted his client's appeal against his exclusion from the elections, ordering the High National Elections Commission to include his name on the final list of candidates. Saif Al-Islam's lawyer described the Sebha court's decision to reinstate his client in the election race as a victory for the will of the Libyan people, amid celebratory scenes expressed by supporters of the Gaddafi son in Sebha after the announced acceptance of his appeal.
Saif Al-Islam was previously excluded from the election race following a request by the International Criminal Court regarding allegations of war crimes during his father's rule, alongside 25 other candidates who were excluded for various reasons. Before his reinstatement, Saif Al-Islam’s exclusion almost sparked a confrontation between his supporters and Libyan Army forces, which were accused of blocking the appeal in Sebha court. Additionally, hundreds of Saif Al-Islam's supporters demonstrated in front of the court building against what they described as attempts to prevent the judges from reaching a quorum to impede Gaddafi's son from returning, claims that the army categorically denied.
The exclusions have triggered and continue to ignite a battle of appeals among various factions in different Libyan regions. Before Saif Al-Islam, the Prime Minister also returned to the race after filing two appeals against his nomination. Appeals have also emerged against other candidates, including Army Chief Khalifa Haftar, but were similarly rejected by the Benghazi Court of Appeal. Libya is currently experiencing an electoral atmosphere, which some see as a key to restoring stability, while others fear dangerous scenarios amid a severe polarization between former allies.
