Amnesty International visits Libya for the first time since 16 years

A delegation representing Amnesty International started Sunday talks with the Libyan officials on the occasion of the first visit of a team of this organization to defend human rights to Libya since 1988, according to one member of the delegation.

The chairman of the delegation which is composed of five members and which arrived on Saturday evening said that the visit aims at briefing on the status of human rights in Libya and meeting with its officials. He said "we have meetings with the two ministers of justice and foreign affairs and we will discuss with them issues which preoccupies the organization." The delegation met yesterday with members in al-Qathafi charity foundation which helped in ensuring the visit of the delegation to Libya.

On January 9th the Amnesty International called in a statement it had issued in Paris to visit Libya "so as to be able to deepen and analyze human rights status in this country.

The statement indicated that during the recent years the Libyan authorities have taken positive arrangements including the release of hundreds of political prisoners in 2001 and 2002.

The organization says it wants to start a constructive dialogue with the Libyan authorities to work for better protection of human rights at the legal or practical levels.