A United States (US) federal judge in Virginia on Friday ruled that war crimes lawsuits against Khalifa Haftar who used to live in the US and is a dual Libyan-American citizen must stay on hold for now to avoid interfering with upcoming presidential elections in the country – due on December 24.
At a hearing in Alexandria – Virginia, US District Judge Leonie Brinkema rejected a request to revive the lawsuits against Khalifa Haftar. The lawsuits say that Haftar is responsible for killings and torture of political opponents – especially during his war on Tripoli and some parts of western region from April 2019 to June 2020.
Haftar claimed immunity to the lawsuits as Libyan head of state, but judge Brinkema rejected those arguments and allowed the lawsuits to proceed. Haftar was due to be deposed when she decided to halt the lawsuits temporarily last month.
Brinkema made clear on Friday that the pause in the lawsuits is only temporary, and that Haftar will have to sit for a deposition shortly after the elections are concluded.
The only hitch, the judge said, would be if Haftar won the election, which might allow Haftar to raise new claims of immunity. Brinkema said that issue could be dealt with down the road if it comes to fruition.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs had asked the judge to lift the stay, citing in part the fact that a judge has ruled Haftar ineligible for inclusion on the ballot. However, Brinkema said the situation remains too unsettled, and there was no harm in a short delay to get past the elections.
