Libya: Alkarama Refers Three Cases of Torture by Militias

Alkarama referred the cases of three Libyan citizens to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture on 2 September 2014. Messrs Adarsi, Shamsah and Azarqani have been abducted and tortured to death in areas under militias' control, in Eastern Libya.

Tarek Joumaa Adarsi, 40, father of two children, was an imam at Al Merdj's mosque. On 10 June 2014, as Adarsi was going home after the night prayer, a group of men arrested him in front of the Al Merdj's mosque. Detained in an unknown place under the control of Haftar forces in Al Abyar, Adarsi's mutilated body was found on 11 June and taken to Benghazi's hospital for an autopsy, which confirmed that his death was due to acts of torture. To his family, Adarsi was arrested for criticising General Haftar's operation. Three days before his death, Adarsi recorded an audio message explaining that he was subjected to harassment and feared for his life and that of a relative.

Ziyad Shamsah, 31, father of three children, was abducted on 16 June 2014, by a group of armed men allied to Haftar forces while he was attending his brother-in-law's funeral. After threatening those present and forcing Shamsah into their car, they took him to an unknown place. On 17 June 2014, his body was found at the Benghazi hospital's mortuary. The forensic medicine's report revealed that Shamsah's body showed signs of torture and abuses, and that he died from a shot in the head.

Muhammed Azarqani, a 26-year old student, was arrested by forces acting as part of "Operation Dignity" during the night of 10 July 2014. The following day, Alzarqani was moved from Al Bnina's police station to the office of military investigations in Al Rajma. On 13 July 2014, Alzarqani's body was transferred to the forensic department where his autopsy revealed signs of torture and ill-treatment, including electrical shocks, and concluded that his death had been provoked by nervous shocks due to torture.

Alkarama deplores the deterioration of the situation in some Libyan regions, particularly in Eastern cities including Al Merdj, Tobruk and Al Abyar, as well as the increasing of human rights violations committed by armed groups with full impunity. In view of the facts described above, Alkarama wrote to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture to ask the Libyan authorities to open investigations, prosecute the perpetrators of these acts and take all measures necessary to protect individuals under their jurisdiction. Alkarama further asks the Special Rapporteur to call upon the Libyan authorities to urge all parties to the hostilities to put an end to the increasing human rights abuses in the country.

For more information or an interview, please contact media@alkarama.org (Dir: +41 22 734 1007 Ext: 810)