The political team of presidential candidate Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi announced its withdrawal from participation in the national reconciliation project led by the Presidential Council, protesting the continued imprisonment of figures from Muammar Gaddafi's regime. In a statement, Gaddafi's team accused the Presidential Council of not being serious about the reconciliation process by failing to address the issue of releasing former regime figures who have been detained since 2011 without charges. They deemed it "futile to continue with this project... because the spirit of revenge still prevails, with some Libyans being treated as slaves and second-class citizens," emphasizing that justice should not be at the expense of one party over another.
On Thursday, the preparatory meeting for the national reconciliation conference concluded in Sebha, chaired by Deputy of the Presidential Council Abdullah Al-Lafi. The attendees decided to hold the next meeting in Zuwara at the end of this month, with the main national reconciliation conference scheduled to take place in Sirte at the end of April next year.
The withdrawal of representatives for Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi could jeopardize the reconciliation project overseen by the Presidential Council, which aims to end the disputes and hostilities among Libyans that have been exacerbated by armed conflicts in the country. The Libyan Presidential Council faces several obstacles in this process, the most significant being bringing together key political parties to restore trust among them due to ongoing disagreements and disputes over power and resources.
Supporters of the former regime view Saif Al-Islam as a symbol and an important party in the national reconciliation project and uniting Libyans, given his popularity across Libya and his political experience. However, the son of Gaddafi is still wanted to appear before the International Criminal Court on charges of committing war crimes against protesters involved in the February 17, 2011 revolution.
