Swiss businessman might leave Libya in a 'day or two'

Rashid Hamdani, one of two Swiss businessmen prevented from leaving Libya for the past 19 months, could do so in a day or two, his lawyer said yesterday.

"We are in the process of sorting out Mr Hamdani's situation. He could leave Libya in a day or two," Salah Zahaf said.

Last week, the Libyan authorities returned Mr Hamdani's passport to him, but did not give him the necessary exit visa.

A condition for obtaining the visa is that Mr Hamdani be declared free of any tax obligations, which normally would require clearance by an official after examining the status of PME Suisse, the company Mr Hamdani directed.

But Mr Zahaf said Mr Hamdani might be allowed to leave the country, turning over to the Swiss embassy the task of completing that procedure.

Libya and Switzerland have locked horns since July 2008, when Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son Hannibal was arrested in the Swiss city of Geneva after two domestic workers complained he had mistreated them.

The row escalated when Libya swiftly detained and confiscated the passports of Mr Hamdani and compatriot Max Goeldi, and deepened again last year when a tentative political deal between Swiss and Libyan ministers unravelled.

Both Mr Hamdani and Mr Goeldi were convicted of overstaying their visas and illegal business activity.

Earlier this month, an appeals court reduced Mr Goeldi's 16-month jail sentence for overstaying his visa to four months. Mr Hamdani's sentence on similar charges was dropped last January.