A Libyan appeal court has cleared Swiss businessman Rachid Hamdani of illegally being in the country and overturned his 16-month prison sentence.
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Hamdani and fellow Swiss Max Göldi were convicted of visa violations last November and each sentenced to 16 months in a Libyan jail. Both appealed against the ruling.
They also faced charges of carrying out illegal business activities.
The Swiss foreign ministry confirmed the announcement of Sunday’s appeal court ruling.
The same day, Hamdani appeared in court over the alleged illegal business activities. A verdict on those charges is due on February 7, the lawyer said.
A verdict in Göldi’s immigration appeal is expected on February 4 and for the second charge two days later.
The pair were first arrested amid a diplomatic spat between Switzerland and Libya following the arrest of one of Libyan leader Moammar Gadaffi’s sons in a Geneva hotel in July 2008.
They were released later that month and sought refuge in the Swiss embassy. The last time they left the compound, in mid-September for medical tests, they were taken by authorities to an undisclosed location in Tripoli – something Bern called a “kidnapping”.
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Businessmen attend Libyan appeal hearings
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Max Göldi and Rachid Hamdani went before the court on Saturday and Sunday respectively, before returning to the Swiss embassy. The judge announced he would issue a verdict on Göldi’s appeal in March. A date has not been given in Hamdani’s case. The pair were convicted of visa violations and carrying out illegal business activities…
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Rachid Hamdani and Max Göldi have been held in Libya since July 2008 after the arrest in Geneva of a son of Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi on charges, later dropped, of mistreating two domestic employees The Swiss foreign ministry confirmed the sentences on Tuesday evening and said the men were tried in absentia and were…
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Max Göldi and Rachid Hamdani are scheduled in early January to be tried for a second time in Libyan court, this time over business and tax violations. One thing is already evident: the Libyans have ignored their own laws handling the case. “The rules for a fair trial are very clear,” said Daniel Graf, a…
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On September 1, 1969, a small group of military officers led by then 27-year-old army officer Moammar Gaddafi overthrew Libya’s King Idris’ government. The revolutionary officers abolished the monarchy, and proclaimed the new republic. Gaddafi is to this day, referred to as the “Brother Leader and Guide of the Revolution” in government statements and the…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.