The Committee for Justice (CFJ) stated that enforced disappearance is a crime commonly practiced by oppressive regimes in order to conceal the truth and hide the violations committed against victims who fall into their grip. It pointed out that this notorious practice is used as a tool to silence opposition voices, undermine transparency, and instill fear and unrest among society. It not only constitutes a blatant violation of human rights, but also represents an attack on human dignity and the right to life and freedom.
This statement comes alongside reports received by the CFJ confirming that Libyan authorities in eastern Libya have forcibly disappeared at least nine individuals for more than three days, after detaining them without judicial warrants and depriving them of contact with lawyers or family members, while their location and conditions of detention remain unknown.
The Caravan of Steadfastness is a land-based humanitarian convoy aiming to deliver aid to Palestinians residing in the Gaza Strip after departing by land from Tunisia. It is a symbolic, nonviolent initiative intended to break the siege and draw global attention to the massacres and starvation in Gaza. The caravan seeks to reach the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza after breaking the Israeli-imposed blockade and crossing the Egyptian-Palestinian border.
The caravan was launched on June 9th of this year, with the participation of approximately 1,500 people, nearly 20 buses, and 350 cars. Most participants came from Tunisia, along with activists from Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, and Morocco. Meanwhile, the International Coalition Against Israeli Occupation announced that around 4,000 supporters from 80 countries worldwide, including European parliamentarians, would participate in the “Global March to Gaza” to reach the besieged Palestinian territory on foot.
Upon arrival in eastern Libya, the solidarity caravan was stopped, surrounded, and several participants were arrested and forcibly disappeared at the entrance of Sirte city, which is under the control of forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar. This left participants deprived of food, water, medicine, and communication means in Libya, forcing them to retreat to an area near Misrata in western Libya.
The list of forcibly disappeared persons includes:
- Youssef Ben Younes (Tunisia)
- Samy Ben Blaqssem Al-Rqeisi (Tunisia)
- Alaa Ben Amara (Tunisia)
- Zeidan Elias (Algeria)
- Bilal Ouerthani (Algeria)
- Yasser Bourras (Algeria)
- Abdul Rahman Riad Al-Nasr (Libya)
- Abdurrazaq Salem Hamad (Libya)
- Muhammad Noor Muhammad Ali (Sudan)
The CFJ affirms that enforced disappearance is a violation targeting human dignity and the right to freedom and personal security, as enshrined in Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that every person has the right to life and liberty. Likewise, Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights prohibits arbitrary arrest or forced disappearance and guarantees every individual the right to a fair and transparent trial.
The CFJ also refers to the United Nations International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which entered into force in 2010. The convention defines enforced disappearance as a crime against humanity when practiced systematically or on a large scale. The committee stresses that the continued disappearance of nine participants in the Caravan of Steadfastness—including citizens from Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and Sudan—for more than three days without any official information regarding their place of detention or reasons for arrest constitutes a clear violation of international law and puts their lives at risk.
The CFJ expresses deep concern and rejection of these arbitrary actions by the authorities in eastern Libya and calls upon them to respect their obligations under the United Nations International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and international humanitarian law.
The CFJ demands that the eastern Libyan authorities immediately clarify the fate of those forcibly disappeared, release them unconditionally, inform their families of their whereabouts, and allow them access to legal counsel and relatives. The committee further calls for an independent and immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disappearances, the prosecution of those responsible, the prevention of impunity, and the assurance that such crimes will not recur.
In conclusion, the CFJ expresses full solidarity with the victims and their families, as well as the activists who risk their lives to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in the besieged Gaza Strip, where the population suffers under a prolonged siege for years. The committee emphasizes that international silence in the face of these violations amounts to unacceptable complicity with the perpetrators of crimes and calls upon all international and UN mechanisms to assume their moral and legal responsibilities, support the victims, reveal the truth, and ensure justice is served.