Photos of Gadhafi prison cell leaked
Son of dead Libyan dictator held in Lebanon
• Leaked photographs of the son of Libya's dead dictator Moammar Gadhafi and the tiny underground cell where he has been held for years in Lebanon have raised concerns in the north African nation as Libyan authorities demand improvements.
The photos showed a room without natural light packed with Hannibal Gadhafi's belongings, a bed and a tiny toilet. “I live in misery,” local Al-jadeed TV quoted the detainee as saying in a Saturday evening broadcast, adding that he is a political prisoner in a case he has no information about.
Two Lebanese judicial officials confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday that the photographs aired by Al-jadeed are of Gadhafi and the cell where he has been held for years at police headquarters in Beirut. Gadhafi appeared healthy, with a light beard and glasses.
A person who is usually in contact with Gadhafi, a Libyan citizen, said the photos were taken in recent days. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media outlets.
Gadhafi has been held in Lebanon since 2015 after he was kidnapped from Syria, where he had been living as a political refugee. He was abducted by Lebanese militants demanding information about the fate of prominent Lebanese Shiite cleric Moussa al-sadr, who went missing during a trip to Libya in 1978.
The fate of al-sadr has been a sore point in Lebanon. His family believes he may still be alive in a Libyan prison, though most Lebanese presume alsadr, who would be 95 now, is dead.
A Libyan delegation visited Beirut in January to reopen talks with Lebanese officials on the fate of al-sadr and the release of Gadhafi. The talks were aimed at reactivating a dormant agreement between Lebanon and Libya, struck in 2014, for co-operation in the probe of al-sadr. The delegation did not return to Beirut as planned.
The leaks by Al-jadeed came after reports that Gadhafi was receiving special treatment at police headquarters and that he had cosmetic surgeries including hair transplants and teeth improvements.
Gadhafi went on a hunger strike in June last year and was taken to a hospital after his health deteriorated.