Libya: Treatment of university students and professors that the Revolutionary Committee consider to be against the regime (August 2001 - November 2002)

Although not specifically mentioning the Revolutionary Committee – an extra-governmental organization that is part of Colonel Mu'ammar Al-Qadhafi's security apparatus (Country Reports 2001 4 Mar. 2002) – one report that was found refers to the Libyan government's treatment of university students and professors who were considered to be against the regime (AI 18 Feb. 2002).

A press release issued by Amnesty International (AI) on 18 February 2002 "expressed concern at the death sentences announced on ... 16 February 2002 against two possible prisoners of conscience, Abdullah Ahmed Izzedin and Salem Abu Hanak." According to AI, Izzedin was a lecturer at the Engineering Faculty of Tripoli and Hanak was head of the Chemistry Department at the Faculty of Science of the University of Qar Younes in Benghazi (AI 18 Feb. 2002). The two men were reportedly arrested along with 150 students and professionals on suspicion of supporting al-Jama'a al-Isamiya al-Libiya, a banned Libyan Islamic group also known as the Muslim Brothers (ibid.).

AI claims that during their detention, the lecturer and professor were kept "incommunicado" and that for over two years they were deprived of their right to legal counsel, and forbidden visits from their relatives (ibid.). In addition, AI found no public record of any investigation by authorities into the allegations of torture that were made by some of the defendants who had also been arrested (ibid.).

Although AI acknowledged that that the government released 177 prisoners in December 2001 along with "scores" of political prisoners in August and September 2001, the organization maintains that "hundreds of political prisoners, including prisoners of conscience, remained in detention, many without charge or trial" (ibid.).

Additional information for the period from August 2001 to November 2002 regarding the treatment of university students and professors who are considered as being against the regime could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Reference

Amnesty International (AI). 18 February 2002. "Libya: Two Possible Prisoners of Conscience Sentenced to Death." (press release) [Accessed 31 Dec. 2001]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2001. 4 March 2002. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. [Accessed 7 Jan. 2003]

Additional Sources Consulted

Europa World Factbook

IRB Databases

Keesing's Record of World Events

NEXIS

Internet sites, including:

Africa Confidential

AllAfrica.com

BBC Africa

European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI)

Human Rights Watch (HRW)

Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN)

Libya: Our Home

Libyan League for Human Rights (LLHR)

The Libyan Union for Human Rights Defenders

The Middle East Network Information Centre (MENIC)

UK Home Office, Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), Country Assessment: Libya

U.S. Department of State

World News.com

World News Connection (WNC)

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