Gaddafi's son 'attacked' in Libya detention
2012-04-05 22:40
The Hague - Saif al-Islam, the son of slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been attacked in detention in Libya, a lawyer from the International Criminal Court said on Thursday.
"Gaddafi has been physically attacked," ICC defence official Xavier-Jean Keita said in a statement accusing Libyan authorities of depriving the country's onetime favourite son of his fundamental rights.
"He also suffers pain due to the absence of dental treatment," the lawyer said in a statement.
Saif al-Islam is wanted on charges of crimes against humanity for his role in trying to put down the uprising to unseat his father in Libya last year.
Keita, who is from the ICC's office of public counsel for the defence (OPCD) and is acting as Saif's primary counsel, did not say when the attack took place or give any further details.
Keita said Saif's "effective representation cannot be secured in a setting in which the OPCD has no ability to conduct privileged communications with Gaddafi on an ongoing basis, or to transmit privileged documents to him.
"Gaddafi has been interviewed by domestic authorities without the benefit of legal representation, and has been provided misleading information concerning the status of domestic investigations against him," the statement said.
Also Thursday, the global police agency Interpol issued alerts seeking the arrest of two senior officials in Muammar Gaddafi's ousted regime on suspicion of torture and kidnapping.
A statement from the France-based body said Libya had requested assistance in detaining two officials identified as former interior minister Al-Senussi Alozyre, 63, and his former deputy Naser al-Mabruk, 60.
They are "accused of a range of offences including carrying out illegal arrests, unjustified deprivation of personal liberty and torture."
Several other Libyan officials are subject to Interpol "Red Notice" arrest requests, including the dictator's surviving sons and his former intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi, who is being held in Mauritania.
