Tripoli, 6 June 2013:
Reports that lawyer and human rights activist, Hanan Al-Newaisery, was assaulted and beaten in front of Misrata’s Zarouk . . .[restrict]courthouse on the morning of 4 June, while onlookers stood by idly, has garnered wide condemnation. Her father, Mustafa Al-Newaisry, a child rights activist, who attempted to protect his daughter from the assailants was also attacked. He is said to have been badly beaten and needed hospital care.
Reports on social media have blamed the attack on the defendant in a case relating to the alleged kidnapped of his own son from Sweden. Hanan has been representing the young boy’s mother, a Norwegian. It has been reported that Hanan had received a number of threats to withdraw from the case.
In her account, Hanan says she had previously informed officials of the threats which included rape but nothing was done.
In Tuesday’s incident, Hanan claims that the defendant and his associates attempted to kidnap her but instead took her father when he was trying to save her. A photo of Mustafa with a bandaged noise surfaced online, and as claimed by Hanan, his noise was broken during the assault.
The local and military councils of Misrata intervened to help Hanan. However, so far so far has been arrested in the case or interrogated.
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