ICC rejects Libya's Gaddafi appeal

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected the Libyan authorities' request to suspend the surrender of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of late Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi, adding he must be handed over so he can face charges of crimes against humanity. Judges rejected Libya's request to suspend an earlier order to Tripoli to hand over Gaddafi, who is expected to stand trial in Libya next month. Libya had asked for the order to be suspended pending the outcome of the new government's appeal against the admissibility of the case at the Hague-based court. In a statement, the international court said Libya is "currently obliged to surrender Mr Gaddafi to the court." Gaddafi's legal team issued a statement in which it criticised Libya’s appeal to the ICC and welcome the court's rejection. "The defence calls on the members of the United Nations and the international community as a whole to make clear to Libya that its defiance of the ICC's order for the delivery of Mr Gaddafi to The Hague will not be tolerated," the statement said.