Gaddaffi’s cousin defects to Egypt: report
By IANSThursday, February 24, 2011
Moscow, Feb 25 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s cousin and one of his closest aides, Ahmed Gadhaf al-Dam, has defected to Egypt in protest against the clampdown on protesters.
Gadhaf al-Dam’s entourage in Cairo issued a statement Thursday saying he “denounces grave violations of human rights, human and international laws” that occurred in Libya when Gaddafi crushed protest rallies, according to Al-Jazeera.
Earlier, Libya’s interior and justice ministers, as well as some Libyan ambassadors, sided with the protesters.
The European Union is considering implementing sanctions against Gaddafi as the authorities in the north African country continue to use violent methods to quash a prolonged uprising.
Reports say that up to 1,000 people have been killed in fighting between demonstrators and pro-Gaddafi forces and some 4,000 have been wounded since protests against longtime leader Gaddafi’s regime started.
The proposed sanctions include a freeze on Gaddafi’s assets, a travel ban for Gaddafi and his associates, and an arms embargo.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
