The International Criminal Court (ICC) has dismissed a final bid by Libya to try the son of slain dictator Muammar Gaddafi in the country.
In a majority decision, a five-judge panel at the international court said on Wednesday that Saif al Islam Gaddafi must be transferred to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity.
The charges are related to the bloody repression of the 2011 popular uprising that toppled Saif al Islam’s father.
"What we are saying is we have proceedings, they were trying to stop it and we are continuing with it," ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah said of Wednesday's decision.
"For the purpose of continuing with the proceedings, we request the surrender of the suspect."
The pre-trial judges had dismissed Tripoli's request to put Saif al Islam at trial in Libya in 2013, saying the country was unable to give him a fair hearing.
Saif al Islam, who also served as Libya's de facto prime minister, has been held by militias in a prison in the city of Zintan since he was captured in 2011 while trying to flee the country.
The militants have refused to give him to central authorities.
Human Rights Watch has urged Libyan officials to hand over Saif al Islam to the ICC for trial.
Libyans rose up against Gaddafi’s four-decade rule in February 2011 and deposed him in August 2011. He was slain on October 20 of the same year.
