Libya arrests 5 for promoting 'atheism'

By Moataz Wanis

TRIPOLI, Libya (AA) – Libyan authorities have arrested five people on charges of promoting atheism and insulting Islamic religion, according to the country’s public prosecutor.

In a statement, Public Prosecutor Al-Siddiq Al-Sour said his office carried out an investigation into the activity of a secret group known as the Enlightenment Movement, saying the group was established “in contravention of the provisions of the law.”

The prosecutor said he received evidence from the Internal Security Agency supporting the charges, noting that members of the group have confessed to the accusations.

The statement said the defendants were asked to “repent” as they wait to be referred to the court.

The arrests have sparked a widespread condemnation from local and international human rights bodies.

Last week, five Libyan human rights organizations demanded, in a joint statement, the release of "arbitrarily" detained activists.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Liz Throssell, warned in a statement that the arrests are contrary to human rights.

“We are concerned by the deepening crackdown on civil society in Libya, where arbitrary arrests and a campaign of social media vilification are having a seriously chilling effect on human rights defenders, humanitarian workers, and other civil society actors” she said.

Throssell called on the Libyan authorities “to immediately stop this aggressive campaign” and to “immediately and unconditionally release all those arbitrarily detained, while also ensuring the protection of those named in coerced ‘confessions’.”

* Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar in Ankara