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By Ashraf Abdul-Wahab.
Tripoli, 2 October 2013:
The Minister of Justice says more that the number of instances this year of killings in . . .[restrict]prisons as a result of torture is higher than the 11 mentioned in a damning UN report published yesterday. Speaking at the Prime Minister’s weekly press conference today, Salah Al-Marghani said that the authorities were aware of other incidents.
Torture, killings and the violation of human rights were unacceptable, he said. They sullied Libya’s reputation and that of the revolution. They could also result in revenge attacks and hold back the establishment of a state of law and order and respect for human rights in the country. “We strongly reject and condemn such acts,” he insisted. “We must not allow ourselves to be the police, the investigators and the judge at the same time. Killing and torture are contrary to the principals of the 17 February Revolution that came about to establish justice, equality and law and order”.
The authorities had tried to stop the torture and killings “but to no avail”, Marghani said. He called on the thuwar and their leaders not to allow anyone to carry out such “heinous” acts. He also called for those involved in torture and murder to be arrested and put on trial. “I urge the judicial authorities and the public prosecution apparatus to implement the penal code and bring the perpetrators of such crimes to account”, he demanded.
Of the 11 killings in the report, ten had occurred in detention centres controlled by armed militias, and the 11th in the Dafniya detention centre at Misrata, he said. An investigation had been launched in that case. But the SSC and leaders of the revolutionaries had to investigate the other ten. Otherwise they themselves risked being prosecuted, he stated. [/restrict]
