Tripoli, . . .[restrict]7 October 2013:
The General National Congress (GNC) has withdrawn membership from a member of Congress who is being investigated for allegations of defamation.
Tuati Al-Aidha, an independent Congressman from Kufra, was voted out by 132 members on the grounds that he had made “offensive comments.” The GNC also said that he had not been attending Congress sessions, according to Libyan news agency LANA.
Aidha, along with fellow Congress members Hajer El-Ghaid and Jumaa Sayah, had his immunity from prosecution lifted on 18 September, sparking concerns about freedom of speech from international human rights NGOs. This was to enable the Attorney-General to investigate them in the light of defamation claims made by members of the Justice and Construction Party (J&C).
Some 20 people from the J&C are suing Aidha, Ghaid and Sayah for defaming the party with claims that it had illegally sold oil to the Muslim Brotherhood and had secret relations with foreign countries. The J&C denies the claims.
Since being kicked out of Congress, Aidha has appeared on Libya Awalan TV and took an oath on a copy of the Quran that he had not lied. “The GNC is controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood,” he said, “and Congress members are being blackmailed.” [/restrict]
