9 May 2012
Libya's first civil trial of pro-Kadhafi fighters opened Tuesday (May 8th) at the newly fortified and renovated Az-Zawiya court complex.

The five defendants are accused of forming an armed gang in Abu Issa to engage in terrorist acts and destabilise the country, Az-Zawiya court president and High Judicial Council member Ali al-Shaab said.

Noting that there had been no security breaches at the first non-military trial of Kadhafi regime loyalists, al-Shaab said that the Libyan judiciary system was "doing its job".

Judge Omar al-Turki approved a defence request to postpone the trial until May 15th. The criminal cases of 19 other defendants will also be heard next week.

In February, a Benghazi military court tried some 40 loyalists of the ousted regime.

© Magharebia.com 2012