The United Nations has called on the International Criminal Court to investigate Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi over allegations crimes against humanity.
In a unanimous vote at the weekend, the UN Security Council also condemned in strongest terms “the gross and systematic violation of human rights” in the country and imposed sanctions against the Libyan government.
It also ordered all UN member states to “immediately take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya” of any type of arms, by any means.
The resolution listed 16 people, including immediate family members and officials of the dictator, that have been banned from “entry into or transit through” UN member territories. It also ordered members to “freeze without delay all funds, other financial assets and economic resources” owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by six people, mainly members of Col Gaddafi’s family.
Reacting to the resolution, China’s permanent representative to the UN, Li Baodong, said his country was “very much concerned about the situation in Libya”, and called for an end to the bloodshed “and to resolve the crisis through peaceful means”.
“The safety and interest of the foreign nationals in Libya must be assured. Taking into account the special circumstances in Libya, the Chinese delegation had voted in favour of the resolution,” Baodong added.
