LIBYA. NINE EGYPTIANS ESCAPE DEATH PENALTY AFTER BLOOD MONEY ACCEPTED

July 30, 2007: nine Egyptians on death row in Libya escaped capital punishment after the families of their victims accepted blood money in return for pardoning them.
Ambassador Ahmad Qwaysini, Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs and Expatriates, said the nine are among 23 Egyptians sentenced to death in Libya on murder charges. Documents confirming the families' acceptance of the blood money are being finalized for submission to the public prosecutor. As for the other Egyptians, he said Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu-al-Ghayt gave orders to intensify contacts with the families of the dead Libyans to accept blood money.
The official noted that two families have already refused to accept blood money while efforts are under way to locate the other families. He said a Libyan court has accepted an appeal to re-try two of the Egyptians sentenced to death. (Sources: BBC, 30/07/2007)