afrol News, 17 August - Possible death sentence awaits the 12 men for holding a peaceful political demonstration in the Libyan capital Tripoli, the New York-based Human Rights Watch, uncovered, expressing concern disappearance of two other detained protesters.

"For all its promises of better behaviour and improved ties with the world, Libya still imprisons those who express alternative political views, and it has 'disappeared' others," the Director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North African Division, Sarah Leah Whitson, argued.

"Twelve men are potentially facing death sentences, and two are missing in custody, their whereabouts unknown," she disclosed.

The two "disappeared" men are Abd al-Rahman al-Qotaiwi, a fourth-year medical student who, together with the 12 men on trial, was reportedly organizing the demonstration, and Jum'a Boufayed, brother of the demonstration's main organizer, Dr. Idris Boufayed. Neither man has been seen since their arrests in mid-February, nor have the Libyan authorities provided information on their whereabouts.

Jum'a Boufayed was arrested by security agents few hours after he had granted an interview to a Libyan overseas website, expressing concern about his brother’s arrest.

Demonstrators had announced plans to hold a peaceful demonstration in Tripoli
on 17 February to commemorate the first anniversary of a violent clash
between demonstrators and police in Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city.

And in response to statements by an Italian government minister defending the controversial cartoons of Prophet Mohammed that had appeared in Danish and other European newspapers, demonstrators attacked the Italian consulate in Benghazi on 17 February. The police used force to disperse the crowd, killing at least 11.

Libyan authorities decided to put the 12 men on trial for planning to overthrow the government, possession of arms, and meeting with an official from a foreign government.

The men who admitted some of the charges [some of them admitted to have met the US embassy to inform them of the planned demonstration] have since been paraded before the courts four times. But they denied the first two charges.

Despite Libya’s pledges to abolish the death penalty, right activists believed that some or all of the defendants could face execution because Article 206 of the country’s penal code imposes the death penalty on those who call "for the establishment of any grouping, organization or association proscribed by law," and on those who belong to or support such an organization.

In addition, Article 166 also imposes the death penalty on anyone who talks to or conspires with a foreign official to provoke or contribute to an attack against Libya while Article 167 imposes up to life in prison for conspiring with a foreign
official to harm Libya's military, political or diplomatic position.

It is not clear whether 'Abd al-Rahman al-Qotaiwi, apparently one of the
organizers, faces the same charges, even though he has never been produced
in court. The charges against Dr. Boufayed's brother Jum'a are also
unclear.

Human Rights Watch believed the men have been detained on political grounds because there was no proof that they advocated for violence.

The main organiser of the protest, Dr. Idris Boufayed, 50, who runs a small exile group called the National Union for Reform, has been an outspoken critic of Libyan leader Mu'ammar al-Qadhafi. In November last year, he was detained for 55 days for authoring critical letters published on a Libyan opposition website.

After 16 years in exile in Switzerland, Boufayed had returned to Libya for a visit in September 2006. His return followed a public assurance by the government that its critics could safely return home.

Another defendant, Jamal Ahmad Haji, is a recognized writer and government critic who wrote an article calling for freedom, democracy, a constitutional state and law in Libya shortly before his arrest.

Jamal al-HajI, who is also facing charges, holds Danish citizenship but Libyan authorities blatantly refused Danish government’s request to visit him in prison.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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