(New York, N.Y., February 4, 2026) – In response to the reported killing of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and former head of the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation, DAWN issued the following statement:
"The apparent murder of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi has effectively deprived his victims of the truth and justice that they deserve, which should have been meted out by fair judicial process, not the hands of hidden assassins," said Sarah Leah Whitson, DAWN's Executive Director. "Gaddafi warned that the NATO-led overthrow of his father's regime would lead to the 'law of the jungle' in Libya, and in that he was entirely correct."
"Saif al-Islam's legacy will be his support for the former Libyan regime's violent attacks against Libyans during the 2011 uprising, abandoning his prior promises to support democratic reforms in the country," said Whitson. "Rather than shepherding the Libyan government to embrace human rights and the rule of law, he facilitated the country's descent into violence and chaos."
