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| Libya overturns Swiss man's jail | Libya overturns Swiss man's jail |
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| A Libyan appeal court has overturned a 16-month jail term handed down to a Swiss businessman on a charge of overstaying his visa. | A Libyan appeal court has overturned a 16-month jail term handed down to a Swiss businessman on a charge of overstaying his visa. |
| Rachid Hamdani, thought to be staying at the Swiss embassy in Tripoli, was convicted in absentia along with another Swiss businessman last year. | Rachid Hamdani, thought to be staying at the Swiss embassy in Tripoli, was convicted in absentia along with another Swiss businessman last year. |
| Analysts suggest the case was brought in retaliation for July 2008's arrest of Muammar Gaddafi's son in Geneva. | |
| Mr Hamdani and his co-accused are also accused of illegal business activities. | Mr Hamdani and his co-accused are also accused of illegal business activities. |
| "The appeal court acquitted Rachid Hamdani and overturned his prison term for overstaying" the visa, Mr Hamdani's lawyer, Salah Zahaf, told AFP news agency on Sunday. | |
| Mr Hamdani, who works for a construction company, was detained in July 2008 with Max Goeldi, an engineering firm boss. | |
| The pair were released on bail in November and went to stay at the Swiss embassy in Tripoli, shortly before their conviction on an immigration offence. | |
| Correspondents have said the case was linked to the arrest of Hannibal Gaddafi and his wife in Switzerland on charges, later dropped, of assaulting two servants. | Correspondents have said the case was linked to the arrest of Hannibal Gaddafi and his wife in Switzerland on charges, later dropped, of assaulting two servants. |
| Their detention led Libya to cancel oil supplies, withdraw billions of dollars from Swiss banks, refuse visas to Swiss citizens and recall some of its diplomats. | Their detention led Libya to cancel oil supplies, withdraw billions of dollars from Swiss banks, refuse visas to Swiss citizens and recall some of its diplomats. |
| Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz visited Tripoli in August and issued a public apology for the arrest of Hannibal Gaddafi. | |
| But the case continued against the two businessmen, intensifying public outrage in Switzerland. |