Gaddafi supporters banned from elections

Gaddafi’s supporters or anyone with ties to  Libya's former leader will be banned from running in elections, according to a bill drafted by the Libyan new rulers. This draft law, which was published online by the National Transitional Council (NTC), also bans academics who wrote about Gaddafi's "Green Book," containing his opinions on politics, economics and everyday life from running in elections. For her part, the political science professor at the University of Benghazi Abeir Imnena, which was among a number of legal experts, judges and lawyers involved in drafting the bill, said “This is a very important law because people are complaining that some of Gaddafi's supporters are still in senior positions,” adding that this law is to tell people that there is no room for Gaddafi’s supporters in new Libya. She pointed out that this law which will regulate the election of a national assembly, charged with writing a new constitution and form a new government, is expected to be finalized within a month. It is worth noting however that the current head of Libya, Mustapha Adul Jalill was justice minister under Muamar Gaddafi. Finalizing the election law would be followed by the appointment of an election commission to oversee the poll, she continued. Meanwhile, the NTC stated that the bill also bans former officials accused of torturing Libyans or embezzling public funds, active members of the Revolutionary Guard, and opposition members who made peace with Gaddafi, besides giving women 20 seats in the 200-member national assembly. However, the draft law did not include details about dividing the country into constituencies, to put it in the election commission’s tasks, stressing taking the size and population of each of the country's districts into consideration. The NTC also said it would only sack those proved to have been involved in committing human rights abuses or stealing public funds, adding that anyone can leave their comments or proposals, in an attempt to involve civil society and move Libya away from militancy. According to Reuters, Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim Al-Keib confirmed on Monday that the election of the assembly would take place in June. Libyan experts say the new constituencies should also take into account the needs of minorities such as the Amazigh, who were oppressed under Gaddafi’s regime. The experts also assume the candidates will run as independents because the country does not have a law for political parties, which were banned under Gaddafi. It’s worth pointing out that hundreds of people protested in Tripoli during the past few weeks calling for dismissing senior government officials who were belonged to the former regime.