Over 70 candidates, including a woman, are now registered to run in Libya’s upcoming presidential election.
Meanwhile, head of the Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah pledged that “the country will not witness a new war.”
Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar and Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi, the son of former ruler Moammar al-Gaddafi, should first answer the criminal accusations against them before the country’s presidential elections, local media cited a Libyan prosecutor as saying.
Military prosecutor Masoud Erhouma submitted a request to Emad Al-Sayeh, the head of the High National Elections Commission, asking to halt the candidacy of the two men.
These developments came as the UN envoy to Libya, Jan Kubis, stressed the importance of holding the presidential and parliamentary elections on schedule, calling on all Libyan parties to vote and accept their results.
Kubis’ calls came during a meeting chaired by Vice-President of the Libyan Presidential Council, Abdullah Al-Lafi, during which they discussed issues related to the elections and the measures taken by the electoral commission to ensure the success of the polls, which are set for December.
The envoy said the current stage in the country is very critical, noting that the judiciary will look into possible objections against candidates.
Kubis said he would convey different views and observations regarding the elections to the UN Security Council in his upcoming briefing on November 24.
According to a statement distributed by the Presidential Council, many officials have expressed their concerns about holding the elections under the current laws and with some “controversial” figures running for office.
The Council warned against any “fraud or distortion of the electoral merits,” stressing that “they will not be a stumbling block to the elections,” but they stipulate for their safety and success “the exclusion of all those involved in crimes against Libyans.”
