Human Rights & Public Liberties

Human Rights & Public Liberties

Newsletter
Published on: 13 Jan, 2021

Haftar’s lawsuit in the US

Published on: 15 June, 2022
Khalifa Haftar/Aljazeera.

Khalifa Haftar/Aljazeera.

According to Middle East Eye, a US  judge has recommended issuing a default judgement against Khalifa Haftar.

John Anderson, a magistrate judge, filed an order that would recommend the principal judge, Leonie Brinkema, to grant a default judgement. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-judge-libya-khalifa-haftar-torture-war-crimes

“Despite the gravity of the claims at issue, [the] defendant has steadfastly refused to sit for a properly noticed and scheduled deposition after several years of litigation,” the judge said in the ruling, referring to Haftar.

If a default judgement is made, a hearing will be held later to determine the amount awarded to the plaintiffs.

Haftar stands accused of extrajudicial killings of civilians.

“We are looking at a monetary judgement. The judge will rule based on what the law provides for compensation to victims of such crimes, and the court may decide to add to the normal range of compensation based on other circumstances of the case,” Emadeddin Muntasser, a Libyan-American activist, president of the Democracy and Human Rights Foundation and advisor to war crime victims, told Middle East Eye.

In May Haftar failed to appear at a deposition where he was going to be asked about his alleged role in the killings and torture of civilians in Libya’s civil war.

A longtime resident of Virginia, Haftar faces multiple civil lawsuits in the US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia.

He has tried to have the lawsuits tossed out under the claim of immunity saying he is a head of state.

However, his attempts have been unsuccessful.

Middle East Eye/Aljazeera.