Legal committee calls on Libya to open Bu Sleim prison file
Libya, Politics, 6/30/2004

The solidarity society for human rights which takes Geneva as a headquarters said that 8 years after the elapse of what is called " Bu Sleim prison massacre," committed by the Libyan security forces against the prisoners who had announced rebellion inside the jail -- the Libyan authorities did not take any practical measures to deal with this file.

This, however, was expressed in a statement issued on Tuesday on the occasion of the Bu Sleim prison incident which claimed the lives of 1300 victims.

The society added in its statement that after the Libyan leader Muammar al-Qathafi had admitted the Bu Sleim prison case -- following discussions he had made with the representatives of Amnesty International during their recent visit to Libya in February -- however, the Libyan authorities are still reluctant in opening up a judicial investigation revealing the implications of the tragic incident and also refuses to abide by its duty towards its citizens and commitments to international norms it had ratified."

The solidarity society considered that al-Qathafi's speech before the higher council of the judicial commissions in Libya on April 18 in which he called for -- notification of the families and relatives of the victims of the incident -- is not enough unless the state takes urgent practical measures.

The society said that " the Libyan authorities started since more than 2 years notifying families and relatives of the dismissed persons who were killed in mysterious conditions inside Bu Sleim prison without handing over their relatives official documents or death certificates and without showing reasons behind the death or the fate of the body of diseased or where it was buried and even in earlier times prevented the families from eulogizing their missing."

The solidarity committee considered that Bu Sleim prison incident is "one of the ugliest humanitarian crimes because it is a collective killing operation, especially all the victims were detained illegally." The society called on the Libyan government to open a judicial investigation in order to define the implications of every death case under detention and enabling their relatives of knowing the fate of the bodies and to compensate for their relatives, define those responsible for the incident and try them as well as take all measures to prevent reoccurrence of such violations.

Also, a group of Libyan activists in the human rights fields called on the Libyan government to abrogate laws which they said perpetuate human rights violations in the country. Those activists took part in a seminar on the current conditions of human rights in Libya, held by the parliamentary committee of human rights at the British house of commons with the participation of Libya's Forum for human development.

Previous Stories:
  Washington resumes diplomatic relations with Tripoli   (6/29/2004)
  conference with Prodi in Brussels, al-Qathafi stresses his country's looking forward to consolidate world peace   (4/28/2004)
  Al-Qathafi calls for ending the emergency law in the country   (4/19/2004)

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