Human Rights Watch commends Libya's record, calls for releasing detainees

The American Human rights Watch commended the measures taken by Libya to improve its record in the field of human rights during the past 12 months, but stressed that serious problems are still outstanding including the imprisonment of persons without trial.

The group said after its first visit to Libya that Libya still uses violence with the detainees and restrict the freedom of expression and assembly and detains political prisoners.

It added, in a report issued in conclusion of this visit, that in recent years Libya tried to improve its image in the field of human rights on the inside and the outside. The Libyan authorities released political prisoners and made a distinction between the two ministries of justice and the general security in order to enhance the independency of the judiciary.

The Middle East and North Africa department in Human Rights, Sarah Lee Weston, said that the invitation made by Libyan government to the organization to visit Libya discloses a high degree of transparency deserves to be welcomed.

The group which takes New York as headquarters called for the immediate release of the most famous political prisoner in Libya Fateihi al Jahmi who has been held since 13 months without trial on a farm for the internal security in Tripoli, the organization visited him there.

It also called for the release of the Libyan writer Abdul Razzaq al-Mansouri held by the internal security sources in a cell since January 12 after writing stories criticizing the government.