Delivered Into Enemy Hands - Human Rights Watch

III. Transfers to Libya that Began in Asia
For three of those interviewed by Human Rights Watch, their returns to Gaddafi’s Libya
began in Asia. Their testimonies are described below.
Abdul Hakim Belhadj
Abdul Hakim Belhadj (Belhadj) 251 said he left Libya in
1988. He fought against the Soviet-installed government
in Afghanistan in the early 1990s and later became the
leader of the LIFG. After fleeing Afghanistan following the
September 11 attacks, Belhadj went to various countries,
ending up in China. From there, he and his wife sought
asylum in the United Kingdom by traveling through
Malaysia. He was denied exit from Malaysia and detained
by immigration authorities there. After a subsequent
attempt to reach the United Kingdom by traveling through
Abdul Hakim Belhadj
Thailand, Belhadj and his wife were denied exit and
© 2012 Human Rights Watch
detained by Thai authorities. They allege that while in
detention there they were interrogated and ill-treated by persons they believed were Thai and
US authorities.
Belhadj and his wife were later rendered to Libya under circumstances indicating American
and British involvement, which is corroborated by documents in the Tripoli Documents. Once
in Libya, Belhadj was detained for years and subjected to ill-treatment—including prolonged
solitary confinement—and numerous interrogations by Libyan, American, British, and other
foreign personnel. After six years in Libyan detention, Belhadj was summarily tried, convicted,
and sentenced to death. He was released in March 2010 as part of a “de-radicalization”
initiative pushed by Saif Gaddafi and later played a prominent role in the revolution. Most
notably, Belhadj served as commander of the Tripoli Military Council after revolutionary
forces seized control of the city from regime forces in August 2011. He resigned his post in
May 2012 to run for election to the National Congress.
251 Abdul Hakim Belhadj also went by the name of Abu Abdullah al-Sadiq, sometimes spelled Sadeq.
91 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | SEPTEMBER 2012