WUNRN
Front Line Defenders - https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/28150
Libya
– Killing of Woman Human Rights Defender Intissar Al Hasairi
Intissar Al Hasairi
On the morning of 24
February 2015, the bodies of human rights defender Ms Intissar Al Hasairi and
her aunt were discovered in the boot of the human rights defender's car in
Tripoli by security forces. The human rights defender and her aunt had
allegedly been shot by members of an armed group.
Intissar Al Hasairi
was a Co-founder ofTanweer Movement, a non-political group that promotes
peace and culture in Libya. The human rights defender participated in protests
demanding a democratic state and respect for of the rule of law.
The bodies were
found when a suspicious parked car was reported to the security authorities.
They were then transferred to Abo Salim Hospital in Tripoli and identified. The
human rights defender had been missing since the previous evening.
Tripoli has been
under the control of Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn), an alliance of Islamic militant
groups, since the summer of 2014. Fajr Libya has created a parallel government
in Tripoli forcing the internationally recognized government headed by Abdullah
Al Thani to retreat to the east near the border with Egypt.
Reportedly,
the Islamic militias in Libya maintain a black list of human rights defenders
to be targeted. The listed persons promote the idea of a democratic state or
other ideologies opposed to that of the armed groups. On 20 September 2014,
unidentified gunmen assassinated human rights defenders and minors
Messrs Tawfik Bensaud and Sami ElKawafi while
they were driving near Al-Kish in Benghazi. Three months before, on 26 June
2014, human rights lawyer Ms Salwa Bugaighis was shot
dead in her home in Benghazi by a group of unidentified men
wearing military uniforms.
Front Line Defenders
strongly condemns the killing of Intisar Al Hasairi and other human rights
defenders in Libya, which is believed to be solely related to their peaceful
and legitimate activities. Front Line Defenders urges non-state actors to cease
targeting human rights defenders in Libya.
Front Line Defenders
urges all relevant actors in Libya to guarantee in all circumstances that all
human rights defenders in Libya are able to carry out their legitimate human
rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.