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| Libya sentences Swiss men to jail | Libya sentences Swiss men to jail |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Libya has sentenced two Swiss businessmen to 16 months in jail amid a row over the arrest last year of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son in Geneva. | Libya has sentenced two Swiss businessmen to 16 months in jail amid a row over the arrest last year of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son in Geneva. |
| Max Goeldi and Rachid Hamdani, detained since July 2008, were convicted of immigration offences. | |
| Libya has said their trial and the Swiss "aggression" against Col Gaddafi's son Hannibal are not linked. | Libya has said their trial and the Swiss "aggression" against Col Gaddafi's son Hannibal are not linked. |
| Hannibal Gaddafi and his wife were briefly held in Geneva in 2008 over allegations of abusing two servants. | Hannibal Gaddafi and his wife were briefly held in Geneva in 2008 over allegations of abusing two servants. |
| The charges were later dropped, but the case angered Tripoli. | The charges were later dropped, but the case angered Tripoli. |
| Their arrest sparked retaliatory measures from Libya, including cancelling oil supplies, withdrawing billions of dollars from Swiss banks, refusing visas to Swiss citizens and recalling some of its diplomats. | Their arrest sparked retaliatory measures from Libya, including cancelling oil supplies, withdrawing billions of dollars from Swiss banks, refusing visas to Swiss citizens and recalling some of its diplomats. |
| Libyan officials said the Swiss businessmen were also fined 2,000 dinars ($1,700; £1,000) each, but had the right to appeal. | Libyan officials said the Swiss businessmen were also fined 2,000 dinars ($1,700; £1,000) each, but had the right to appeal. |
| It is believed they will be tried for tax evasion and failure to comply with business laws later in the month. | |
| The case has sparked outrage in Switzerland, and the government has been criticised for its handling of the affair. | The case has sparked outrage in Switzerland, and the government has been criticised for its handling of the affair. |
| Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz visited Tripoli in August and issued a public apology for the arrest of Hannibal Gaddafi. | Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz visited Tripoli in August and issued a public apology for the arrest of Hannibal Gaddafi. |
| But he failed to secure the return of Hamdani, a construction company employee, and Goeldi, Libyan operations manager of engineering firm ABB. | But he failed to secure the return of Hamdani, a construction company employee, and Goeldi, Libyan operations manager of engineering firm ABB. |