The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented three separate incidents involving abduction and detention outside the framework of the law in the cities of Sabratha and Benghazi, affecting a physician, healthcare workers, an 80‑year‑old man, and a 74‑year‑old tribal leader, allegedly at the hands of security bodies.
According to information documented by CFJ, the first incident occurred on the evening of 11 September 2026 in Sabratha, where Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim Al‑Mahdi, a staff member at Sabratha Teaching Hospital, was reportedly subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention, as well as verbal and physical assault and torture, following his participation in a protest organized by hospital employees demanding the protection of their employment rights.
In the second incident, members of the Criminal Investigation Department, Al‑Abyar Office, reportedly detained Saleh Boutjweida, 80, from his home in Al‑Abyar Municipality, east of Benghazi, on the evening of 11 September 2026. Available information indicates that his detention was allegedly linked to his refusal to relinquish ownership of a piece of land in favor of a relative of the Benghazi Security Director. Reports further indicate that Boutjweida suffers from heart disease and several chronic illnesses. He was later released.
A third incident was reported in Benghazi on the morning of 13 September 2026, involving the detention of Sheikh Al‑Senussi Al‑Haliq, 74, a tribal leader of the Zuwayya Tribe. According to available information, he was detained by the Internal Security Agency following remarks he made before Speaker of the House of Representatives Aguila Saleh concerning demographic changes in southern and southeastern Libya and his criticism of government decisions.
The Committee for Justice expressed concern over these incidents and stressed the need for full respect for the rights to liberty, personal security, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly.
CFJ calls on the Libyan authorities to disclose the circumstances surrounding these incidents, ensure the safety and legal protections of all individuals subjected to detention, and open independent and transparent investigations into any allegations of torture, assault, arbitrary detention, or abuse of authority.
The Committee further emphasizes the importance of respecting the rights of citizens to express their views and participate in peaceful activities without fear of retaliation, and calls for ensuring that security institutions are not used to suppress dissenting opinions or to resolve property disputes outside the framework of the law.
