Libya: Deputy Prosecutor Abdelnaser Elgoroshi Disappeared for More than 8 Months
On 6 July 2015, Alkarama sent a communication to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) regarding the case of Mr Abdelnaser Elgoroshi, a Libyan citizen abducted on 20 October 2014 in front of the Arab Medical University in the Belaon neighbourhood of Benghazi. Elgoroshi was working as a deputy prosecutor in South Benghazi Court and living in Arwisat neighbourhood in the same city.
The deputy prosecutor was abducted by a battalion belonging to the regular army of Tobruk at a checkpoint besides the Arab Medical's University, where he was last seen. This checkpoint was under the control of the "Shouhada' Al Zawiya" (شهداء الزاوية) battalion, also called "Thunderbolt 21" (21 صاعقة), which the family believes to be responsible of Elgoroshi's abduction. This battalion is acting under the authority of the internationally recognised government, based in Tobruk.
On 7 December 2014, militiamen led by Salem Elnaeli, raided Elgoroshi's house and told the family that they had an order from the prosecutor Majdi Bohinisha to seize his car. Although Elgoroshi's brothers refused to hand them the car keys, the militiamen took the car by force, hitting and insulting the brothers. They also shot at the family but no one was injured.
A few days later, Elgoroshi's relatives went to the Shouhada' Al Zawiya battalion's headquarters in Benghazi to request a visit, which was denied to them. When leaving the place, one of the officers confirmed to them that had been detained for three months at the battalion headquarters, but that now there was no information concerning his place of detention. According to other sources, however, the former deputy prosecutor could be secretly detained by the Tobruk Government's regular armed forces to this day. In addition, according to the same sources, Elgoroshi would have been hurt. Worried that he will not be provided with medical care, Alkarama is all the more concerned about his fate.
Since the Shouhada' Al Zawiya battalion is acting under the authority of the internationally-recognised Government of Tobruk, it can be said that the Libyan authorities are responsible for their crimes. In view of the facts and potential urgency of Elgoroshi's medical state, Alkarama called upon the UN WGEID to intervene with the Libyan authorities to ensure that he is immediately released or placed under the protection of the law and that his family be informed of his fate and whereabouts in the shortest possible delays.
For more information or an interview, please contact the media team at media@alkarama.org (Dir: +41 22 734 1008)