Swiss Embassy in Libya Surrounded

[Savonarola]

Swiss embassy in Libya surrounded 



Hamdani, left, and Max Goeldi have been at the centre of a row between Libya and Switzerland [AFP]


Libyan police have surrounded the Swiss embassy in Tripoli after issuing a deadline for Switzerland to hand over two nationals sheltering in the building.

According to a Reuters correspondent on Monday, one of the businessmen at the centre of the diplomatic row, Rachid Hamdani, has already come out of the building and was driven away by Libyan officials.

But there was no sign of the second Swiss national, Max Goeldi.

Libyan officials say Hamdani, who has been acquitted of criminal charges, is free to leave if the Swiss comply with their demands.

But Tripoli says Goeldi must be handed over to serve a four-month prison term for violating immigration rules. 

Visa row

Last week Tripoli stopped issuing visas to most European citizens, a step that was linked to the row with Switzerland.

Goeldi was sentenced to four months in jail by a Libyan court for having allegedly overstayed his visa and conducting illegal business activity.

Following the Libyan government's ultimatum, Salah Zahaf, Goeldi's lawyer, told the AFP news agency: "He will leave the embassy and turn himself in voluntarily."

Zahaf said he expected Goeldi to be taken to Ain Zara prison near Tripoli, and that he had been instructed to ask the Libyan justice system for an amnesty.

Relations between Libya and Switzerland have been strained since July 2008, when Hannibal - a son of Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader - was arrested in the Swiss city of Geneva after two workers complained he had mistreated them.

The row escalated when Libya swiftly detained Hamdani and Goeldi and confiscated their passports.

It deteriorated further last year when a tentative political deal between Swiss and Libyan ministers fell through.

Come on, Heidi, bomb them. 

[Syt]

She bombed herself.

[garbon]

Perhaps Libya misunderstands how embassies work?

[Syt]

Will the Swiss guards: shoot twice and go home?

[KRonn]

A nation probably has a pretty bad case when it has to resort to surrounding the Swiss embassy!   

[Savonarola]

No such luck   

Swiss man hands himself over to Libyan officials 

Max Goeldi's initial 16-month sentence was reduced to four months on appeal
One of two Swiss businessmen who sought shelter at the Swiss embassy in Libya amid a diplomatic row is being transferred to jail, an official says.

The man, Max Goeldi, was driven from the embassy in handcuffs. He faces four months in jail on immigration offences.

The second man, Rachid Hamdani, who has been cleared, was to leave the country.

The case against the two is widely thought to be retaliation for the arrest of one of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's sons in Geneva.

Last week Libya stopped issuing visas to citizens from many European nations, prompting condemnation from the European Commission.

'Storm the embassy'

Goeldi faces a four-month prison sentence after being convicted of violating immigration rules. His initial 16-month sentence was reduced on appeal.

Libya set a deadline of midday on Monday for Goeldi's handover, and authorities stepped up their presence outside the embassy as the deadline approached, the BBC's Rana Jawad reports from Tripoli.

Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger was cited by Reuters news agency as saying the Libyan police had threatened to storm the embassy if the deadline was not met.

"Last night there were many intense phone calls," he was quoted as saying at an EU meeting in Brussels. "It was announced there was a deadline - either hand over the convicted Swiss citizens or the embassy would be stormed."

He said EU ambassadors had gone to the embassy to show solidarity before "the situation was calmed and an escalation avoided".

Pardon request

Libya's Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Khaled Kaim, said Goeldi was being taken to the Ain Zara jail near Tripoli, an "open prison" where he would be allowed visits.

Goeldi's lawyer told Swiss TV that his client would request a pardon.

Mr Hamdani left the embassy hours earlier.

A lawyer said the businessman, who holds dual Swiss and Tunisian nationality, was heading by car to Tunisia.

Analysts suggest the charges against the two were brought in retaliation for the arrest of Mr Gaddafi's son Hannibal and his wife, Aline Skaf, in Geneva in July 2008.

They were accused of assaulting two servants while staying at a luxury hotel in the Swiss city, though the charges were later dropped.

Libya retaliated by cancelling oil supplies, withdrawing billions of dollars from Swiss banks, refusing visas to Swiss citizens and recalling some of its diplomats.

In the same month that the Gaddafis were arrested, Libyan authorities detained Mr Hamdani, who works for a construction company, and Goeldi, the manager of an engineering firm.

The two were later released on bail before being convicted in absentia while sheltering in the Swiss embassy in Tripoli in December.

Libya's move to stop issuing visas came after Switzerland allegedly blacklisted 188 high-ranking Libyans, denying them entry permits.

It covers Switzerland but also 24 other nations in the Schengen zone, which includes European countries that have abolished mutual border controls.

[garbon]

Europe

[Scipio]

Let me get this straight: Libya announces that they are going to jettison international law and diplomatic custom, and the Euros roll over and play dead?

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Let me get this straight: Libya announces that they are going to jettison international law and diplomatic custom, and the Euros roll over and play dead?

yeah, seems like it.

[Martinus]

Let me get this straight: Libya announces that they are going to jettison international law and diplomatic custom, and the Euros roll over and play dead?

As opposed to the "Bombed Planes for Highways" deal the US and France have struck with Libya few years ago?

[Jaron]

Let me get this straight: Libya announces that they are going to jettison international law and diplomatic custom, and the Euros roll over and play dead?

As opposed to the "Bombed Planes for Highways" deal the US and France have struck with Libya few years ago?

Shut up. They are talking about Europe. You have no horse in this race.

[grumbler]

Let me get this straight: Libya announces that they are going to jettison international law and diplomatic custom, and the Euros roll over and play dead?

As opposed to the "Bombed Planes for Highways" deal the US and France have struck with Libya few years ago?

No, as opposed to "standing up for what you perceive as right."  Funny how some Euros will chew the crap out of the Israels of the world for ruffling feathers over things like passport forgeries, but will shit their pants when the Lybia's of the world command obedience.

Srebrenica already demonstrated Euro resolve, though, so anyone surprised by the Swiss being unwilling to protect their citizens is being naive.

[grumbler]

Let me get this straight: Libya announces that they are going to jettison international law and diplomatic custom, and the Euros roll over and play dead?

As opposed to the "Bombed Planes for Highways" deal the US and France have struck with Libya few years ago?

Shut up. They are talking about Europe. You have no horse in this race.

[Berkut]

Let me get this straight: Libya announces that they are going to jettison international law and diplomatic custom, and the Euros roll over and play dead?

Seriously - Libya basically just threatened them with an act of war over what is basically a pissing match incited by Libya over the injustice of Moammars son being held accountable for being an asshole.

I cannot see how the correct response is to basically say "Sorry then, here you go, we will hand over our citizens to you on these clearly trumped up charges then! I guess we won't be asking for your visiting aristocracy to follow our laws anymore! Doh!"

[Warspite]

What does a Swiss dispute have to do with Europe as a whole? They made their neutralist bed, they can lie in it.