Urgent Action: The Terror of al-Kaddafi Regime Targets Ezbaidah Family in Tripoli

Human Rights Solidarity (LHRS) and Euro-Mediterranean Federation against Enforced Disappearance (FEMED) are deeply concerned about the wellbeing of the civilian population in Tripoli. On Saturday, 2nd July 2011, according to a report by the French Press Agency (1), AFP, “several people in Tripoli were executed on Friday 1st July after they refused to participate in a pro al-Kaddafi demonstration on that day”. The report went on to state one witness claiming that “he knew the reasons his nephew was executed”, according to the witness, his brother’s family was threatened, before the demonstration, that “their son, who was being held at the notorious Abu Saleem prison, would be killed if the family did not participate in the pro al-Kaddafi demo”. The witness went on to say that the family did not join the demo and, according to the witness, a couple of hours after the demo on Friday, the body of his nephew was dumped in front of his home with two bullets in his head.

LHRS was contacted by Mr. EZbaidah, Murad Khalifa (2), a Libyan refugee in Europe, seeking help to protect his family(3). According to Mr. EZbaidah, he has lost contact with his family, his parents and four sisters, after they fled their home because of treats from the armed militias of al-Kaddafi regime.

According to Mr. EZbaidah, armed men stormed the family home, in the district of Ghawt al-Sha’al – Tripoli, on 26th June 2011, took his father and 3 of his brothers. Also, took jewelry, money, a laptop, mobile phones, family documents, passports, 3 cars and a motorbike. According to Mr. EZbaidah, his father was released after one day of detention, but the 3 brothers are still in detention. The family was threatened if they did not participate in the pro al-Kaddafi demo, their sons will be executed. The family did participate, their three sons did not return, but the armed men reappeared with farther demands. Allegedly they demanded the return of 2 members of the family, who are, according to Mr. EZbaidah, in the Western Mountain region, the site of intense military battles between pro al-Kaddafi forces and the freedom fighters. The militias threatened the family; that if they did not cooperate, the militias will come back and arrest the whole family and rape female members of the family.

According to Mr. EZbaidah, his parents were alarmed and fled their home and went into hiding. Mr. EZbaidah has asked LHRS to convey his plea to whoever can help to protect his family. He has lost contact with his family and is deeply concerned about its wellbeing.

LHRS and FEMED are deeply concerned and believe that the incident reported by AFP and the case of EZbaidah family are not an isolated cases. According to Mr. EZbaidah, other families in the district of Ghawt al-Sha’al were subjected to similar terrorizing treatment, indicating some sort of coercion campaign to force the participation of ordinary people in the pro al-Kaddafi demonstration of Friday 1st July 2011. LHRS and FEMED call on the International Community to step up its political and diplomatic pressure on al-Kaddafi regime to stop these criminal activities and unconditionally release all detained civilians.

Euro-Mediterranean Federation against Enforced Disappearance (Paris, France)

Human Rights Solidarity (Geneva, Switzerland)

13.07.2011

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n8Pq9L4F2s&feature=player_embedded

1. Mr. EZbaidah, Murad Khalifa Abdu Allah, born 1977 in Tripoli
2. EZbaidah family members are:
   1. Father: EZbaidah, Khalifa Abdu Allah, born 1944. Arrested on 26.06.2011, released after one day. Whereabouts is unknown, in hiding.
   2. Mother: Hassan, Fatima Saiid, born 1948. Whereabouts is unknown, in hiding.
   3. Brother: EZbaidah, Jamal Khalifa Abdu Allah, born 1971. Arrested on 26.06.2011, still in detention.
   4. Brother: EZbaidah, Hisham Khalifa Abdu Allah, born 1983. Arrested on 26.06.2011, still in detention.
   5. Brother: EZbaidah, Nabeel Khalifa Abdu Allah, born 1988. Arrested on 26.06.2011, still in detention.
   6. Sister: EZbaidah, Wafaa Khalifa Abdu Allah, born 1980. Whereabouts is unknown, in hiding.
   7. Sister: EZbaidah, Reema Khalifa Abdu Allah, born 1981. Whereabouts is unknown, in hiding.
   8. Sister: EZbaidah, Najwa Khalifa Abdu Allah, born 1982. Whereabouts is unknown, in hiding.
   9. Sister: EZbaidah, Lubna Khalifa Abdu Allah, born 1987. Whereabouts is unknown, in hiding.