Four Libyan families file lawsuit at a US court to punish Haftar for war crimes in Tripoli

BY Libyan Express Jun 27, 2019 - 21:10

Libyan families file lawsuit against Khalifa Haftar at a US court. [Photo: Libyan Express]

Since he is a dual Libyan-US citizen, Khalifa Haftar is facing a lawsuit at a Virginia State court in the United Sates for war crimes, crimes against humanity and human rights violation as well as destruction and torture done in the capital Tripoli.

Four Libyan families lodged the lawsuit calling for compensations of 125 million dollars for the killing and wounding of their beloved ones living on the outskirts of Tripoli – southern Tripoli – by Khalifa Haftar’s forces in their offensive on the capital.

“Since he is American, we are calling on the court to criminalize Haftar for the war crimes he did and the violations of human rights, torture, forced detention, destruction and other horrible things he did in Tripoli’s southern parts. Haftar must be punished by US laws.” The four families said in their statement.

Last year, a Libyan man from Ganfouda, Benghazi, filed a lawsuit against Haftar in France, while Haftar was in Paris.

The lawsuit was filed by French attorneys who hoped the French government would press charges against Haftar since he was on French soil, yet the case did not go further in the court.

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