Gaddafi's death prevents key trial

The death of Muammar al-Gaddafi during his capture means that the new Libya can no longer put him on trial, the liberal daily NRC Handelsblad laments: "A tribunal is not only a warning to fellow dictators and a signal from the new leaders that they want to take the path of constitutional law. A trial can also help uncover the truth, and, even if indirectly, lead to reconciliation. That Gaddafi was a despot is well known. But how he could hold onto power for four decades and who helped him do it must still be answered. Gaddafi himself can no longer do this, meaning it is no longer possible to settle accounts on a political level. That can lead to new myths and acts of revenge. After the rejoicing hard times lie ahead."

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