Law No. (37) of 2012

On Criminalisation of the Glorification of the Tyrant

The Interim National Transitional Council

Upon review of:

• The interim Constitutional Declaration issued on 03/08/2011;
• The bylaws of the Interim National Transitional Council (NTC);
• The Penal Code and the supplementary laws thereof;
• The Code of Criminal Procedure;

issued the following law:

Article (1)

Whoever propagates false or tendentious news, information or rumours during war or similar situations, or spreads agitating propaganda that damages military preparations to defend the country, instils fear among people and weakens citizens’ morale shall be punished with imprisonment.

The circumstances that the country is going through are considered as falling under "war". Lauding and glorifying Muammar Mohammed Abdul Salam Abu Minyar Gaddafi, his regime, ideas and children, and portraying the same as righteous, heroic or loyal to the country, as well as distorting the truth and misleading people about their behaviour and the acts that they committed against the country and its people, or promoting such regime and the members thereof in any way whatsoever, are considered forms of "agitating propaganda".

If such news, information, rumours or propaganda result in any damage to the country, the penalty shall be life imprisonment.

Article (2)

Without prejudice to any harsher punishment stipulated by any other law, whoever expresses anything considered as prejudicial to the 17 February Revolution shall be punished with imprisonment.

The same penalty shall be inflicted on anyone who insults Islam or the dignity of the State and its statutory and judicial institutions, or whoever publicly insults the Libyan people or the State’s emblem or flag.

Article (3)

Any provision that contradicts the provisions of this law shall be repealed.

Article (4) 

This law shall enter into force from its date of issuance, and shall be published in the Official Gazette.

Interim National Transitional Council -- Libya

Tripoli

11 Jumada al-Thani 1433 AH

Corresponding to 02/05/2012 AD