The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented the disappearance of Dr. Adel Issa Awlad Al‑Haj, President of the Libyan Medical Laboratory Syndicate, after he left his home on the evening of 8 September 2026. Contact with him was subsequently lost, and his whereabouts remained unknown amid preliminary information indicating that he had been abducted and detained outside the framework of the law. Reports also raised concerns over the possible involvement of a security body in connection with his trade union activities and advocacy for the rights of healthcare professionals.
According to available information, the incident generated concern among members of the medical and professional community, particularly given Dr. Adel Issa Awlad Al‑Haj’s role in representing medical laboratory professionals and advocating for their professional and employment-related rights.
The Medical Laboratory Syndicate later announced that Dr. Adel Issa Awlad Al‑Haj had been released and had returned to his family and colleagues. However, no information has been made publicly available regarding the authority responsible for his detention, the circumstances surrounding his release, or the conditions under which he was held.
The Committee for Justice calls on the Libyan authorities to clarify the circumstances of the incident and to open an independent and transparent investigation to identify those responsible for the detention of Dr. Adel Issa Awlad Al‑Haj and to ensure accountability for any violations that may have occurred.
CFJ further stresses the importance of protecting trade unionists and health sector professionals from retaliation, harassment, or detention linked to their professional and syndical activities. The Committee calls for full respect for the rights to freedom of association, trade union activity, and freedom of expression, and for an end to detention practices carried out outside the framework of the law.
