Political
On 7 December, the Libya Herald reported that the Tripoli Local Council (TLC) elections had been officially delayed until a local administration law comes into effect. New elections will be held in all towns and cities for local and area councils once the law is passed.
The Libya Herald reported that the integrity committee has banned ten people from working in major positions in state institutions or embassies abroad. It is also reported that the integrity committee plans to lodge its own appeal against Interior Minister Ashour Shuwail, after the minister won his case against the committee’s previous ruling. Shuwail was dismissed by the committee, resulting in widespread demonstrations by police officers in his support.
The National Assembly debated the Shuwail issue on 10 December, which resulted in heated exchanges between Ibrahim Gheriani of the National Forces Alliance and Akram Jenin, an independent for Khoms. The exchanges resulted in punches being thrown between the two congress members. The National Congress is due to vote on 11 December on whether Shuwail can assume his position as Interior Minister.
The Libya Herald reported that the trial of the Al-Baghdadi Al-Mahmoudi reopened in Tripoli on 10 December, only to be adjourned again until 14 January. Mahmoudi was the last prime minister under the Qadhafi regime’s and is charged with a number of crimes including the responsibility for a number of deaths, corruption and the ordering of mass rape in Zuara during the revolution. Accused alongside Mahmoudi were two other former regime officials, Mabrouk Zahmoul and Amer Tarfas, who are charged with transferring funds to acquire logistic support for the former regime.
