Libyan parliament abolishes law to isolate Gaddafi officials

Libya's internationally recognized parliament on Monday abolished the law banning senior officials of Muammar Gaddafi's era from any position in the Libyan institutions.

The Political Isolation Law was repealed after a vote attended by 101 members in the House of Representatives (HOR), Tariq al-Jeroshi, one of the lawmakers, told Xinhua.

Jeroshi said the national assembly passed the law in May, 2013 under pressure from gunmen who had surrounded the foreign and justice ministries for several days demanding the government to sack officials linked to Gaddafi, and it is therefore invalid.

Jeroshi did not explained why the parliament choose to advance the motion at this sensitive time when Libya is juggling two rival parliaments.

Some analysts said the move might evoke more confrontations because the Islamist-backed parliament General National Congress (GNC) has been accusing HOR consisted of Gaddafi remnants.

According to Libya's political transition plan, the HOR, elected in June, has already replaced the GNC. However, the armed Islamist alliance Libya Dawn, which has achieved a series of military progress since July in western Libya, backs the GNC to resume power and form its own government against the new one. Endit