Libyans protest against Haftar, Gaddafi presidential runs

 

An electoral law gave rise to protests against candidacy applications made for a presidential run by what they describe as war criminals.

People gather to protest against the candidacy application of Saif al Islam Gaddafi, the son of former Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi and Khalifa Haftar for upcoming presidential election in Tripoli. (Hazem Turkia / AA)

Hundreds of Libyans have taken to the streets in protest in Tripoli against "war criminals" running in next month's presidential election, after eastern-based warlord Khalifa Haftar and a son of ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi announced presidential bids.

Demonstrators stamped on posters of Haftar and Saif al Islam Gaddafi on Friday, voicing anger over an electoral law criticised for bypassing due process and favouring a bid by warlord Haftar.

One speaker called for "all those who have committed crimes against the Libyan people" to be disqualified from the race.

"The blood of our martyrs wasn't spilt in vain," said another.

The protests come at the end of a week that saw both Haftar and Gaddafi register to run in the December 24 election, which is part of a United Nations-led process attempting to draw a line under a decade of conflict since the fall and killing of Gaddafi senior in a 2011 revolt. 

Stark differences

The run-up to the vote has been marred by bitter divisions over the legal and constitutional framework. Many in western Libya have rejected any run by Haftar, who led a devastating but ultimately unsuccessful campaign to seize the capital before he was pushed back in 2020.

One demonstrator on Friday carried a placard reading "No to elections without a constitutional basis!"

Several hundred people attended a similar protest in the port city of Misrata, Libyan television showed.

Protesters shouted: "Yes to elections, no to criminals!"

 

The head of the High Council of State, the parliament's upper house based in Tripoli, said he would boycott the vote and warned against holding elections without a legal framework agreed by all sides.

"The process we're seeing today in Libya is bizarre. There's no constitutional basis or clean electoral list," Khalid al Mishri said in a video on Facebook.

"We're aware of the strong desire among all Libyans for change." But "we want elections governed by a constitution or a constitutional basis."

 

Source: AFP 

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(With input from news agency language)

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