Aldabaiba vows to impose justice, law and order – puts militias on notice

Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, during his speech today at a follow-up meeting at the Ministry of Justice and the Judicial Police Unit, put militias on notice and vowed to impose what amounts to habeas corpus. Aldabaiba said:

• Justice is a sublime divine value and as much as we establish justice, the state is established‎.
• The time for those who thought that their position exempted them from accountability is over‎.
• No one is bigger than the law. And no one is bigger than the state‎.
• What we are accomplishing today in subjecting prisons to the Ministry of Justice is evidence of the serious path‎.
• The Interior and Defence Ministries have the will and determination to continue reform.‎
• The release of illegally held detainees is a direct result of the law enforcement campaign.‎
• No party outside the law may decide imprisonment, pardon or accountability.‎
• Justice is not reduced to the influence of a militia, but rather an integrated system‎.
• There is no tolerance for terrorists, human traffickers, drugs and all spoilers‎ (of law and order and the state and its institutions).
• No protection to those with weapons or who belong to any criminal anymore‎.
• The accused has the right to be tried in full health and to be released if proven innocent‎.
• It is unacceptable for a citizen to spend 10 years in prison without trial.‎
• Reform of the judicial police is a national project that we will not retreat from‎.
• We will not hesitate to use all the tools of the state to impose its prestige‎.
• Some prisons are run by people accused of rape, murder and torture‎.
• We do not accept the imprisonment of our children under the authority of criminals‎.
• What the Public Prosecutor revealed about extrajudicial detention is completely rejected‎.
• Ignoring judicial release orders and ending prison sentences undermines the prestige of justice‎.
• Long pretrial detention without trial is a serious imbalance‎.
• The judicial police exist to protect justice, not shelling (government forces in recent Tripoli clashes).
• The responsibility of justice is a moral, religious and functional honour‎.
• Justice is not a slogan. It’s a situation and a practice.‎
• We announce it clearly. Our campaign continues‎.
• We continue to lift injustice against those whose freedom was deprived outside the law‎.
• We continue to restructure the Judicial Police‎ to ensure that it is not penetrated‎.
• We continue to hold accountable all those involved in human rights violations‎.
• We continue to keep anyone under suspicions away from the Judicial Police‎‎.
• We will spare no effort. We will not exclude a means (use of force?) — whatever it may be — to enforce the rule of law.‎
• This is not a passing campaign. Rather, it is a steady path to the consolidation of the rule of law‎

Aldabaiba’s proclamations are also see as clearing the way for the release of tens if not hundreds of former Qaddafi-era officials still rotting in jail without being charged.

Top on the militias list is the Special Deterrence Force (SDF/RADA) militia in control of Mitiga prison. SDF/RADA is commanded by Abdelrauf Kara who follows the Salafist branch of Islam.

Some analysts believe Aldabaiba is using the justifiable policy of imposition of law and order and the state, including taking control of Mitiga prison, as a fig leaf to attack and destroy the SDF/RADA militia. They fear, if he goes through with his policy as he is claiming, this will lead to a serious military clash with the SDF/RADA (and its relatively smaller allied militias in and outside Tripoli).

Aldabaiba’s initiative, some say bravery, comes after the ‘‘killing’’ of Abdelghani Ghnewa Al-Kikly, the militia head of the Stability Support Agency (SSA). Together with the SDF/RADA, the SSA was the strongest militia operating in Tripoli.

Equally, some analysts believe Aldabaiba is whipping up populist support to resist any moves – including those by the international community through UNSMIL’s latest initiatives – to remove him from power.

Removing militias, enforcing law and order and consolidating a strong state and its institutions are popular initiatives for the domestic audience. While enforcing human rights, legal procedure, habeas corpus etc play well with the international community.

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