Court rules on NOC chairman’s citizenship status

The Tripoli Court of Appeal has ruled that National Oil Corporation (NOC) Chairman Farhat Bengdara holds UAE citizenship, leading to the annulment of decisions made during his tenure.

The court’s decision cites Libya’s Citizenship Law No. 24 of 2010, which states that acquiring foreign citizenship without proper legal procedures results in the loss of Libyan citizenship and the right to hold public office.

The ruling declared Bengdara’s actions as NOC Chairman void, describing his position as a “usurpation of power.” The court accepted documents submitted by the plaintiff as evidence of Bengdara’s Emirati citizenship, noting these were not contested by authorities.

The NOC has disputed these claims on its Facebook page, stating the case primarily concerns an employee transfer appeal. The corporation maintains that reports about its chairman’s Emirati citizenship are “untrue.” According to the NOC statement, Bengdara has filed a complaint against the plaintiff and legal counsel for allegedly false citizenship claims.