The “Committee for Justice” (CFJ) has documented the arrest of Libyan human rights activist and journalist Nasser Fathallah Al-Hawari by Egyptian authorities on the evening of February 9 near his home in Alexandria, Egypt.
The committee stated that Egyptian security forces in civilian clothing arrested Al-Hawari and took him to an undisclosed location, cutting off all contact with him since then.
– Arrest Due to Exposure of Violations:
Al-Hawari’s arrest came just hours after he aired a television episode on the Libyan channel Al-Jamahiriya, in which he exposed violations faced by prisoners held in detention facilities controlled by the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in eastern Libya. During the episode, he had promised to reveal further evidence regarding these violations.
– Enforced Disappearance:
CFJ reported that the arrest did not target Al-Hawari alone; his younger brother was also detained. His brother was blindfolded and briefly restrained inside a truck before being released, after being threatened with arrest if he disclosed any details about his brother’s abduction. Security forces also confiscated his mobile phone.
Since Al-Hawari’s arrest, his family has received no information about his whereabouts, nor have the Egyptian authorities provided any clarification regarding his detention or location.
Al-Hawari is the head of the “Victims for Human Rights” organization and the founder of the “Libyan Observatory for Human Rights.” He had previously been arrested in Tripoli on January 29, 2024, by the Criminal Investigation Department affiliated with the Government of National Unity, before managing to flee Libya. He is widely known for his television program *State of Law*, which highlights human rights issues in Libya and the region.
– Calls for Disclosure of His Fate and Immediate Release:
CFJ calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately disclose Al-Hawari’s place of detention and ensure his fundamental rights, including his right to contact his family. The committee also urges authorities to release him as soon as possible, warning that the close ties between Egyptian authorities and Khalifa Haftar should not lead to further violations against journalists and activists exposing human rights abuses.
