TRIPOLI: A Libyan court adjourned Monday until April 27 the trial of top figures from Muammar Qaddafi’s regime, including heir apparent Seif Al-Islam, for abuses committed during the 2011 uprising that toppled the dictator.

The adjournment after some 40 minutes, was the second postponement since March 24, and came as a rights group voiced doubts over the possibility of a free trial.

As was the case in March, the postponement was due to a number of defendants, notably Seif, being absent and is meant to give lawyers time to prepare their cases.

In all, only 23 of 37 charged were in the dock, sitting behind bars in blue prison uniforms.

Among them were former intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi and Qaddafi’s last premier, Al-Baghdadi Al-Mahmudi.

All the defendants are charged with murder, kidnapping, complicity in incitement to rape, plunder, sabotage, embezzlement of public funds and acts harmful to national unity.