UNSMIL said today that it is ‘‘deeply concerned by the arbitrary arrest and detention of popular journalist and regular government critic Ahmed Senussi on 11 July in Tripoli and calls for his immediate release.
Stifling journalists’ reporting fosters a climate of fear and undermines the environment needed for Libya’s democratic transition.
A thriving civic space, where Libyans can engage in open and safe debate and dialogue exercising their right to freedom of expression is essential. UNSMIL calls on all Libyan authorities to protect journalists and media workers.’’
Meanwhile, several NGO condemned his arrest and called for his immediate release.
Crime Watch in Libya reported yesterday that it had monitored the arrest of journalist Ahmed Al-Senussi near his home on the airport road in Tripoli, on Thursday evening, 11 July 11 by, what it called, gunmen affiliated with the Tripoli based Internal Security Service. It said he was taken to the agency’s headquarters in Al-Drebi neighbourhood in central Tripoli.
Crime Watch added that the arrest incident came one day after the arrival of Senussi to Libya returning from Tunisia after employees of the Sada Economic newspaper, which he manages, were threatened and blackmailed by the Internal Security Service and the Tripoli based Minister of Economy and Trade.
The Monitoring Organization also condemned the arrest of Senussi and the harassment of journalists and called on the Libyan Presidential Council and the Tripoli based Libyan government to immediately and unconditionally release Senussi. It said it held them responsible for his safety and the safety of the newspaper’s employees.
Authorities Watch Libya also demand an end to violations against journalists, accountability for those responsible, and the need to provide the necessary protection for journalists to enable them to practice their work freely.
The Libyan Journalists Network issued a statement condemning the kidnapping of Senussi, expressing its deep concern over the escalation of cases of kidnapping and assault on journalists in Libya, and calling on the Attorney General’s Office to immediately investigate this incident and work for his release without delay.
Internationally, the International Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for the immediate and safe release of Ahmed Al-Senussi, stressing that it is unacceptable that the authorities do not disclose his place of detention or the reason for his arrest, and that they have not received any response to the emails they sent to the Libyan Internal Security Agency regarding his arrest.
In turn, the Arabic Organization for Human Rights condemned in Libya what it described as the “kidnapping” of journalist Ahmed Al-Senussi, calling for his release, ensuring his safety, securing his return to practicing his journalistic work, and eliminating the “phenomenon of kidnapping”.
