Articles for Libya

Arrested at his home on 3 January 2003 by agents of Interior Security, Abdenacer Al-Rabassi had previously been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by a special court after having sent a controversial email to the Editor in Chief of the Arab Times. He was recently released on 8 March 2010 and has since returned to his home in Beni Walid.

Human rights violations are ubiquitous in Libya and Jamal Al-Hajji, a 54 year old human rights activist, did not shy away from exposing the systematic abuses carried out by the Libyan authorities. During the past few years, Mr Al-Hajji has been the frequent target of harassment by the security services after bringing to light various human rights violations committed by the Libyan authorities.
On 25 November 2009, Libyan authorities released Saleh Salem Ahmeed after having served nearly 25 years behind bars. Mr Ahmeed was arrested on 3 November 1986 on fabricated murder charges. During the arrest, his house was ransacked and burned.
The Libyan Committee for Truth and Justice has informed Alkarama of Abdelatif al-Raqoubi's release from Abu Slim prison on 15 October 2009.
As he was leaving his mother-in-law's home after lunch on 19 May 2008 Hisham al-Tabakh heard gunshots nearby... He quickly ran to where he thought shots were fired and saw two policemen harassing an 80 year old man. Mr. al-Tabakh approached the officers and tried to reason with them, but instead they dropped the old man and attacked Mr. al-Tabakh.
Alkarama received news of a large prison strike of prisoners inside Tripoli's Jadida prison.

Four day ago, the prisoners began a hunger strike to put pressure on the Libyan authorities to alleviate their suffering, and in protest against the decision of amnesty issued by the Libyan authorities that gives the prisoners general rights. The order came on the fortieth anniversary of the Libyan revolution, at the beginning of this month. Nevertheless, the purpose of the order has not been upheld.

On 17 September 1995, Abdelmotaleb Abushaala was arrested by security services at the headquarters of the Higher Institute of Civil Aviation where he was a student. No judicial warrant was presented to him at the time nor was he informed of the reasons for his arrest. He has since disappeared.

On 11 August 2009, Alkarama appealed to the Officer of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in an individual communication on behalf of Mr Abushaala's brother.

Alkarama learned that Dr Mohamed Hassan Aboussedra arrested in 1989, detained arbitrarily since, and twice victim of enforced disappearance, was released on 7 June 2009. He is however forbidden to leave Tripoli.

In October 2007, Alkarama made a complaint, on behalf of Dr Aboussedra's family, with the aid of the UN Human Rights Committee against the Libyan government to establish the numerous human rights violations against Dr Aboussedra and his family.

The Human Rights Council has just published the report submitted by Alkarama on 30 October 2008 in the follow up of its recommendations regarding Libya on its website. Libya did not present any comments on this occasion. The review will take place at the Committee’s next session.The report on Lybia concerning the"Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee" is available for download in .pdf format.
On 17 December 2008, Alkarama submitted an individual complaint to the United Nations Human Rights Committee regarding Mr Abdenacer Younis Al Rabassi, victim to grave violations of his fundamental rights.

Abdenacer Younis Al Rabassi, aged 38 years old at the time of his arrest, holds a degree in social sciences from the Jenzour Institute of Tripoli, and was employed at the social security services of Beni Walid until the day of his arrest on 3 January 2003.