ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A federal judge in Virginia on Friday ruled that war-crimes lawsuits against a Libyan military commander who used to live in the U.S. must stay on hold for now to avoid interfering with upcoming presidential elections there. At a hearing in Alexandria, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema rejected a request to revive the lawsuits against Khalifa Hifter, who has controlled large swaths of the nation during a yearslong civil war. Brinkema last month paused a trio of civil lawsuits against Hifter, just as he was scheduled to be deposed in them. Hifter has declared himself a candidate for president in elections later this month, and Brinkema said she was concerned that the lawsuits were being used to further political agendas rather than protect victims of torture. The lawsuits allege that Hifter is responsible for killings and torture of political opponents.

Source: Libya Today December 03, 2021 17:08 UTC