Libya: DAAM center calls on all official security bodies in Libya to expeditiously intervene to stop the arbitrary procedures against Salem El Meadany and release him unconditionally.

23 January، 2023

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The Democratic Transition and Human Rights Support DAAM follows with concern the procedures of the arbitrary detention taken by the Interior Security Body against Ibrahim El Maqsaby and Salem El Meadany who work for the Civil Society Commission in Bengazi. We appreciate the decision to release Ibrahim El Qasaby from detention, however, his colleague, Salem El Meadany is still in detention, and there isn’t any clear legal path has been taken to refer him, in order to be able to defend himself, according to the principles of fair trial, since he was arbitrary arrested on December 22. 2022.

DAAM center denounces and condemns these measures taken by the security bodies in Libya generally in such cases, as Libyan human rights activists are subjected to such practices in a systematic and ongoing manner. This matter affects directly public life in Libya and undermines the opportunities to correct the human rights file in Libya which has been suffering years ago.

In this context, we remind everyone that these arbitrary measures violate the international system of human rights which protects the human right to express his opinion freely, and criminalize every behavior that leads to punish a person just for his political or human rights activity. Moreover, we remind that these crimes have no statute of limitations whether domestically in Libya or internationally.

Finally, we call on all official security bodies in Libya to expeditiously intervene to stop the arbitrary procedures against Salem El Meadany and release him unconditionally.

Background

Background The arrest of El Meqsaby and El Meadany comes as a result to an escalating security crackdown in Libya targeting human rights defenders and the independent human rights organizations since late last year, before it eventually expanded to affect come of the Commission’s employees, as security bodies tried to control Libya. A dispute raised recently inside the Civil Society Council in Benghazi regarding the issues of controlling civil society and the nationalization of its activities and managing its affairs through employees and officials who take orders from the security bodies. This dispute was raised by Mabrouka Bel Tamr, the former head of the Civil Society Council against Ibrahim El Meqasby, accusing him of continuing work after she expelled him from his mission. Although the Public Prosecution completed its investigation in the complaint on December 18, 2022, the Interior Security body imprisoned El Maqasby in the same day. It is known that one of the reasons of detaining El Magsby and El Meadany is their pro-civil society policies and that they didn’t join a repressive security crackdown against civil society.

23 January، 2023

0 498 2 minutes read