عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

UNSMIL Demands Immediate Release of All Persons 'Arbitrarily' Detained in Libya

Libyans playing backgammon in the old city of Tripoli. (Reuters)
Libyans playing backgammon in the old city of Tripoli. (Reuters)
TT
TT

UNSMIL Demands Immediate Release of All Persons 'Arbitrarily' Detained in Libya

Libyans playing backgammon in the old city of Tripoli. (Reuters)
Libyans playing backgammon in the old city of Tripoli. (Reuters)

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has called for the immediate release of all individuals who have been arbitrarily detained in the country.

“All arrests and detentions must be based on the rule of law, in line with Libya’s human rights obligations,” UNSMIL stated in a tweet on Friday.

It also welcomed the recent releases of Faisal Gherghab, former head of the Libyan Post Telecom and Info Technology Company, Mohammad al-Qiblawi, head of the General Union of Libya Students, and Mansour Atti, head of the Libyan Red Crescent Society in Ajdabiya.

Libyan police forces have recently arrested a number of political and human rights activists, prompting international condemnations and demands for authorities to release the detainees and activate the rule of law.

Chargé d’Affairs of the United States embassy in Libya Leslie Ordman welcomed the release of several Libyans who were arbitrarily arrested.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, for his part, underlined the importance of human rights as part of the bilateral relationship between the US and Libya.

On January 10, the Deterrence Anti-Organized Crime and Terrorism Apparatus arrested Gherghab, while the police in Tripoli arrested other human rights activists on various charges.

Last week, the security apparatus also arrested 218TV correspondent Ali Al-Rifawi in Sirte city, in central Libya.

The Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR) in Libya expressed concern about Rifawi’s arbitrary arrest, stressing that he was detained “without any legal basis.”

The organization called for his immediate and unconditional release to fulfil Libya’s international obligations.

AOHR sources indicated that the reporter was arrested while covering the municipality work and reporting the suffering of citizens.

It said that detaining Rifawi for criticizing the local authorities “constitutes a restriction on freedom of expression and violates Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Reporters Without Borders has demanded the immediate release of Rifawi, who has been detained since March 26.

In a tweet on its official page, the organization held the Internal Security Agency responsible for his kidnapping, while referring to the harsh conditions that journalists are subjected to in the country.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
TT
TT

Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.