A retired judge, Suleiman oud Zoubi, former member of the Libyan General National Congress (GNC), was released on 4 September 2016. He was abducted in 2014 by the Barag Al Nasser militia from Zintan, which were at the time loyalists to the Libyan armed forces. He was held in solitary confinement and subjected to torture and ill-treatment. Alkarama had sent a communication to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) and other Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council (HRC) concerning his case.
The 73-year-old former judge was living with his family in Janzour, 12km west of Tripoli, where he was abducted from his home. Among the various forms of humiliation that he suffered from the militia, Zubi was photographed and filmed in humiliating circumstances, hands tied to a machine gun. He was then tied to the back of a military vehicle which paraded through the streets of Zintan, before being taken to Ajmi prison in Zintan, operated by Amjad Al Ajmi Al Atri, the head of a Zintan militia.
His family tried to get him released as soon as he was arrested. They contacted different authorities within the internationally recognised government of Tobruk as well as leaders from Zintan, but to no avail. Soon after his abduction, the militia asked for a ransom that was beyond what his family's capabilities. Then another militia group in Bengasi abducted his son Abu Yousef, who was later found dead with evidence of severe torture. Eventually Suliman Awad Zubi was released after spending two years in inhumane conditions.
Alkarama is delighted to announce the release of the former judge Suliman. However, it urges the Libyan authorities to take responsibility to protect and respect human rights fundamental freedoms. Alkarama also urges the Libyan authorities to stop rights violations such as torture, solitary confinements and Extrajudicial killings.
For more information or an interview, please contact the media team at media@alkarama.org (Dir: +41 22 734 1008)