Since staging his military coup in Libya on September 1, 1969, the military regime has ruled the country through a series of decrees issued by Gaddafi. A small sample of such decrees follows.

1. Protection of the revolution: Anyone, violently opposed to the revolution, shall be executed.

2. Decree #45, 1972: Strikes, vigils, and protests are prohibited.

3. Decree #71, 1972: Political parties are prohibited, and those who call for their creation shall face charges of treason, resulting in executions and long prison terms.

4. Decree #75, 1973: All print media shall be state-owned.

5. Decree to establish people’s court and special military tribunals.

6. Decree #52, 1974: Insulting Gaddafi is prohibited, and punishable by 80 lashes.

7. Decree #4, issued on May 25: Putting the government in control of the legal profession.

8. Decree #8, 1983: Elimination of the position of Public Prosecutor and Public defender

9. Decree for Revolutionary Legitimacy issued on March 9, 1990: Designed to curb personal and press freedoms.

10. Decree #20, issued 1991: Consolidating freedoms by eliminating all those deemed a danger or a threat to society.

11. Decree #10, 1994: Opponents to the revolution shall be punished by cutting their limps.

12. Decree #15, 1996: Anyone trading in currencies other than Libyan currency shall be executed

13. Decree enforcing collective punishment, issued on March 9, 1997.

14. Decree #1, 2001: Granting popular committees and conferences to issue Libyan nationality or deny as they deem appropriate.

15. Decree #19, 2003: Under the pretext of reorganization of institutions of civil society, numerous labor and professional unions were eliminated.

16. Decree #7, 2005: Establishing special courts

17. Decree #7, 2007: Dissolution of Labor Unions, ostensibly issued by the Judicial Supreme Council.