Lebanon Court Orders Gaddafi Son Freed: Is It Time for Tripoli's Invoice?
Al Jazeera presents a simple news story: Hannibal Gaddafi, youngest son of Muammar Gaddafi, is finally ordered freed on $11 million bail after almost a decade imprisoned without trial in Lebanon. Conveniently omitted from this narrative is the rather pressing question of what leverage Lebanon has held over Tripoli for all these years, or why this particular 'justice' now comes with such a hefty
price tag. It's almost as if some nations' despots get to rot, while others' progeny are, shall we say, more 'negotiable' assets. One might cynically observe that while Gaddafi's son buys his freedom, countless political prisoners in the region – whose families can't muster multi-million dollar bail – languish for decades without a whisper of due process or media attention. How many innocents are
locked up globally without trial for a fraction of the time, without Al Jazeera (or any other mainstream outlet) publishing a single word? It appears human rights become a flexible concept when geopolitics and cash are involved.