By Libya Herald staff.
Tunis, 17 January 2018:
Libyan activists welcomed today’s demand by the Netherlands for an international investigation into the murder of Libyan activists Salwa Bugaighis, who was assassinated in 2014 in Benghazi, Libya.
The Netherlands made the demand at a UN Security Council session today at The Hague. ”It is a remarkable step as such calls are usually reserved for the killings of present or former heads of government”, the activists’ statement said. Adding that ”This may be the first time that a member of the Security Council has demanded an investigation into the killing of a woman human rights defender”.
The Dutch statement read as follows:
”Impunity in Libya remains a grave problem. In 2014 Salwa Bughaighís, a leading women’s right advocate in Libya, was brutally murdered. Her case is just one example among many that have yet to be investigated and prosecuted.
We urge all parties to respect human rights and international humanitarian law and reiterate that all those responsible for violations and abuses must be brought to justice. It is essential that we answer the calls for accountability in line with resolutions 1970 and 2174. Their prosecution will help prevent further atrocities and thus contribute to sustainable peace.
In that regard we welcome the efforts of the International Criminal Court and call upon the Libyan Government, and in fact all concerned, to cooperate fully with the Court and the Prosecutor.”
