04 March 2011

Libya – At least 250 people disappeared, 70 dead in Al Jabl Al Akhdar region

As the situation in Libya continues to evolve, hundreds of people have been killed, injured and abducted by security forces, the military and militia still loyal to Colonel Gadaffi or by foreign mercenaries under his control. Alkarama's mission in Libya has information that, in the Al Jabl Al Akhdar region alone, at least 70 people have died and 250 people have been disappeared by these forces since the 16 February 2011.

Alkarama, in the past 2 days, has submitted 59 cases of demonstrators killed and 15 cases of disappearance to the United Nations human rights mechanisms asking for them to intervene immediately with the Libyan authorities in Tripoli. These cases were also submitted to the International Criminal Court to provide information for the investigation into crimes against humanity in Libya.

The allegations that the security forces were firing with live rounds into the protestors midst, is confirmed by the death certificates issued by Al Baida hospital for the 59 cases Alkarama has documented, which state that the deaths are all from bullet wounds, several of them hit by more than one bullet.

The cases include a 10 year old girl, Rokaya Mabrouk, shot dead in Al Baida on 18 February 2011 and a 14 year old boy, Saad Al Yamani, killed in front of the security forces' headquarters on 16 February 2011.

As for those disappeared, Safa Aldin Hilal Mohamed Al Shareef, 25 and Adel Abdallah Almadaa Salah, 35 were detained on 15 and 18 February 2011 for having called for pro-democracy demonstrations on the internet and in their communities. Abdalsalem Alqanashi, 35, was arrested on 19 February 2011 by internal security forces for having photographed and filmed demonstrations in Al Baida and the surrounding areas and passed these to the Media in Egypt.

Ali Mubarak Omran, a 55 year old military officer, was abducted in Al Abrak after he refused to shoot at the demonstrators. Alsadek Almabrouk Hamada Bridan, a prisoner in Abu Slim Prison in Benghazi, was evacuated along with hundreds of other prisoners from Abu Slim by the Internal Security forces to an unknown location. Their families have no information about where they are being held or what is their fate.

Alkarama also submitted information about 10 people who were abducted during demonstrations in Al Abrak on the 16th February 2011 by foreign mercenaries and taken to Al Abrak Airport where the Military forces were based. Other cases which we have received and for which we are completing the information were arrested in Al Baida and Derna, and taken to the same airport.

The 10 cases submitted were last seen at Al Abrak Airport, before being taken away to an unconfirmed location. According information obtained from informal sources, they may be held at Al Maitiga (المعيتيقة) Air Force base in Tripoli along with 250 other individuals who were abducted during the demonstrations.

According to our information, the 400 students of the Air Force Academy on this same Air Force base have been detained on the base and not allowed to leave since the 17 February. The base is now under the control of the Khamis Brigade, which is led by Colonel Gaddafi's youngest son, Khamis al Gaddafi, and which is renowned for being one of the best equipped and most ruthless branches of the Libyan Special Forces. Families of those detained there inform us that two students tried to escape, but were shot dead. They fear that the students are going to be forced to fight and to attack demonstrators.

Alkarama fears that if those disappeared by the pro-Gaddafi forces are being held in this location, they are at very high risk of being tortured, forced to fight with the Gaddafi forces or even executed. Alkarama therefore request that the United Nations human rights mechanisms immediately request their release, and ensure an investigation into the disappearances and deaths of protestors. Furthermore, Alkarama reminds that the International Criminal Court will be prosecuting those responsible for crimes against humanity in Libya, and such massive killings and disappearances fit into the description of such crimes.

Qatar - HR Instruments

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

No

Convention against Torture (CAT)

CAT: Accessed on 11.01.2000
Optional Protocol: No
Art. 20 (Confidential inquiry): Yes
Art. 22 (Individual communications): No

State report: Due on 23.11.2016 (3rd)
Last concluding observations: 25.01.2013

International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED)

No

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Last review: 05.2014 (2nd cycle)
Next review: -

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) – Status A

Last review: 10.2010
Next review: 11.2015