Geneva - Two Swiss businessmen were each sentenced Tuesday to 16 months in Libyan prison for violating residency laws, though they remained inside Switzerland's embassy in Tripoli. The Swiss foreign ministry confirmed earlier reports of the jail term handed down for visa infringements.
They were tried in absentia, a person close to the case said.
Max Goldi, who was working for Swiss industrial company ABB, and businessman Rashid Hamdani, were arrested in Libya in June 2008.
Their arrest came four days after police in Geneva arrested Hannibal Gaddafi, the son of Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi, and his wife on suspicion of abusing their domestic staff.
The couple was released days later, but their arrests sparked an ongoing diplomatic row between the two countries.
A spokesman for ABB and the government in Bern both said the two remained at the Swiss embassy in Tripoli, where they have been for over a month. Prior to that, the two had gone missing in the country for five weeks.
They were tried in absentia, a person close to the case said.
Max Goldi, who was working for Swiss industrial company ABB, and businessman Rashid Hamdani, were arrested in Libya in June 2008.
Their arrest came four days after police in Geneva arrested Hannibal Gaddafi, the son of Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi, and his wife on suspicion of abusing their domestic staff.
The couple was released days later, but their arrests sparked an ongoing diplomatic row between the two countries.
A spokesman for ABB and the government in Bern both said the two remained at the Swiss embassy in Tripoli, where they have been for over a month. Prior to that, the two had gone missing in the country for five weeks.
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