Alkarama is gravely concerned about his arrest, and sent an urgent appeal to the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression requesting the urgent intervention with the Libyan authorities for his immediate release and to ensure that other human rights defenders are not targeted or attacked for their human rights work

Fathi Tarbal was arrested from his home in Benghazi, Libya, by around 20 armed individuals in civilian clothing who identified themselves as members of the Interior Security. They violently entered his home where he was with his wife and children, searched the entire house without presenting any judicial warrant and then took him away, refusing to tell his family why he was being arrested or where they were taking him. The agents also confiscated his laptop and his cell phones as well as the cell phones of his entire family.

It seems obvious that Mr Tarbal, who has been following and reporting on the recent arrests and other repression of peaceful protests in Libya, was arrested because of this human rights work.

Alkarama calls for his immediate release and for the Libyan authorities to cease attacking those who speak out about human rights violations or calling for political freedoms.