A statement concerning shooting protesters in Tripoli- Libya
The Support Center for Democratic Transition and Human Rights (DAAM) followed up the peaceful demonstrations that erupted on Sunday the 23rd of August in El-Shohada square, in the center of Tripoli. Citizens demanded life rights by improving their daily poor living conditions
At 6.30 p.m, security groups affiliated with the Government of National Accord (GNA), started a direct shooting against citizens to disperse them especially after their numbers increased. This resulted in injuring a group of protesters, making a large-scale detaining campaign in the center of Tripoli and in addition to tracking the wounded inside hospitals to arrest them. Later, detainees were taken to unknown places.
DAAM center condemns these hostile acts which are considered as crimes against unarmed citizens who practiced their normal right in peaceful demonstrations demanding their rights. DAAM center blames the Ministry of Interior for its whole responsibility for what happened as it is supposed to protect the protesters and their right to express their point of views. Regardless the statement of the (GNA) Ministry of Interior which was issued yesterday stating that the shooters don’t belong to the Ministry, and it pledged to open an investigation (but this does not exempt it from its responsibility for what happened). In addition to prosecuting the perpetrators to justice, knowing the fate of the detainees, and returning them as soon as possible to their safe homes.
These actions complicate the Libyan political scene and lead to the increase of its internal violence which endanger societal peace and push the country into a new cycle of violence. And the Right to Peaceful Protest is one of the protected and safeguarded rights according to the local laws in Libya and the international conventions and treaties. And it is confirmed that every violation against that right or any assault against the person who practices, is considered a fully fledged that is imprescriptible and sooner or later the perpetrators of these crimes will be prosecuted.
التظاهر السلمي و التعبير عن الرأي حق مكفول لكل مواطن و علينا الإستماع جيداً لصوت الشارع و المندسين ليسو المتظاهرين بل الذين ظهروا بمظهر رجال الأمن و هم مجموعة خارجة عن القانون اطلقت النار .سنحيل نتائج التحقيقات لرئاسة الحكومة و النيابة العامة من حيث الاختصاص الإداري والقضائي
— وزير الداخلية الليبي (@fathi_bashagha) August 24, 2020
