The Committee for Justice (CFJ) condemns the arrest and enforced disappearance of activist Al‑Mahdi Abu Al‑Qasim Abdel‑Ati, aged 43, after he was abducted on 19 March 2026 by armed individuals affiliated with a security entity and taken to an undisclosed location. His fate and whereabouts remain unknown to this day.
According to CFJ’s documentation, the activist was detained just hours after posting a video on his Facebook account in which he criticized the involvement of official bodies in corruption cases and activities linked to oil smuggling, as well as the resulting economic crises—indicating that his disappearance is directly linked to his exercise of the right to freedom of expression.
CFJ stated that detaining the activist outside the framework of the law, depriving him of basic legal safeguards, and concealing his place of detention constitute grave violations of human rights, amounting to arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, in clear breach of Libya’s binding international obligations.
The Committee further stressed that targeting activists for peacefully expressing their views poses a serious threat to freedom of expression and undermines public participation and the rule of law.
CFJ calls for the immediate disclosure of the fate and location of Al‑Mahdi Abu Al‑Qasim Abdel‑Ati, and for enabling him to communicate freely with his family and lawyer while ensuring his protection from torture and ill‑treatment. The Committee also demands his immediate release, as there is no legal basis for his detention, and calls for an urgent and independent investigation into the incident, with full accountability for those responsible. CFJ underscores the need to end the targeting of activists and to ensure respect for freedom of opinion and expression in Libya.
