Journalist Fehal Bome disappears in Libya despite calls for his release
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The fate of the Libyan journalist-writer and rights activist Ridha Fehal Bome remains unknown since his abduction at the Tripoli international airport, Matiga, late on Saturday night.
This happened despite national and international calls for his release or handing to the judicial authorities.
The last appeal was made by the organisation "Reporters sans Frontières (RSF)" who, in a communiqué issued on Tuesday evening on its Facebook page, called for ‘’the immediate release of the leader of the Libyan organisation for independent information, Ridha Fehal Bome".
"The security cameras of the airport filmed two people dressed in civilian uniforms arresting Mr Fehal Bome, as he was fulfilling the formalities at the passport checking center at his return from Tunis and since then, there is no news from him," added Reporters Sans Frontières.
"Mr Fehal Bome’s arrest comes following a large denigration campaign of three months on social networks after an article he had published on the situation of human rights in Libya, thanks to which he obtained the ‘’Open Eye’’ Prize awarded by the German news organisations MICT in 2017," added the RSF.
The head of RSF for North Africa, Saheb Kheyati, called on the Libyan government of National Accord to make all efforts to obtain the release of Mr Fehal Bome.
He particularly called the head of the Government of National Accord, Fayez Al-Sarraj "to show his commitment to the protection of the safety and integrity of journalists who work in Libya in totally unacceptable insecurity conditions".
The Libyan Ministry of Interior had rejected any responsibility of the security services depending on his authority on the disappearance of Bome.
It said in a statement issued on Monday evening that the journalist was detained by the general intelligence services.
In that respect, the ministry said it had asked the general intelligence services about the ‘’reasons’’ for his arrest.
Libya occupies the 163rd position in the world press freedom ranking released by Reporters without borders this year.
On the same wavelength, the European Union Mission in Libya, in accord with the mission of member countries and that of Canada, on Tuesday issued a communiqué in which they expressed deep concern with what they described as ‘’forced arrest’’ of a Libyan journalist and rights activist Ridha Fehal Bome.
"The European Union engaged to defend press freedom and the freedom of associations," said the communiqué which added ‘’we are concerned with the information about the arrest and detention since last Saturday of Mr Fehal Bome".
The European Union said Bome’s arrest "is a violation of Libya’s commitments for the respect of international law and human rights".
EU said "it is informed of the communiqué issued by the Libyan ministry of Interior on the affair", adding it was following the case with the competent authorities to obtain the release of Bome or his handing to the judicial power in accordance with the law.
Contact was lost with Bome on arrival at 23h00 at Tripoli airport on board an aircraft of the company Ifriquia.
Bome is a human rights defender and observer who denounces hate speech. He obtained several prizes in the domain of investigative press.
The UN Support Mission in Libya expressed its concern with the disappearance of the journalist, demanding his immediate release.
The UN mission said his "arrest is a violation of Libya’s commitments to international law and human rights and related to the freedom and security of people, as well as the freedom of opinion and expression".
-0- PANA AD/IN/IS/MSA/RA 18Dec2019
