BRUSSELS, September 25 (RAPSI) – The EU General Court on Wednesday lifted financial and travel restrictions from a cousin of the former Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, and dismissed the EU Council’s arguments as unsubstantiated., according to the court's statement released on Wednesday.

The EU Council adopted restrictive measures against Ahmed Gaddaf al Dam and a number of other persons connected with the Libyan government in February 2011. The sanctions consisted of the freezing of funds and a ban on entry into, or transit through the territory of the EU.

The arguments regarding Ahmed Gaddaf al Dam said that he had commanded “an elite army battalion in charge of Gaddafi’s personal security” and also had “been involved in planning operations against Libyan dissidents abroad and was directly involved in terrorist activity.” 

In April 2013, and then again in June 2014, the Council retained the name of Gaddaf al Dam on the list for the same reasons as in 2011. The court has now ruled that this substantiation is no longer valid.

The decision can be appealed in the Court of Justice within two months of notification of the decision. If an appeal is filed, the ruling will not become effective until the higher court’s decision.