Dr. Idrees Mohamed Boufayed
Acting on the belief that the Libyan government spoke in good faith when it guaranteed critics of the regime a safe return back home, Dr. Idrees Mohamed Boufayed, a member of the non-violent National Union for Reform, returned to Libya from his 16-year old home in Switzerland on September 30, 2006.
At the airport, he was detained and interrogated by security services, who took his passport and requested future meetings with him. He cooperated with security personnel many times over the next several weeks and finally travelled for a scheduled meeting with the Internal Security Agency in Tripoli on November 5, 2006.
He has not been heard from or seen since that meeting, and the Libyan government has refused to confirm or deny that it has him in custody. Despite the fact that Libyan law requires charges to be filed within 6 days, or 30 days with a judge's extension, of arrest, no such files exist on record.
Those familiar with Dr. Boufayed praise him for his compassion and his selfless work as a physician to save the lives of others. His opposition to the Libyan regime of Muammar Qadhafi stems in part from his service in the Chadian war during which he saw many comrades die on the battle field. His friends and family worry about his welfare as Libyan prisons are known for their torture chambers.
Please help spread awareness about the Libyan government's detention of Dr. Boufayed and the violations of his right to free speech and a fair public trial.
Additional resources:
- Libya: Security agency detains critic - [Human Rights Watch]
- Biography of Idrees Boufayed - [Libya al-Wafa]
- Internal security is asking me to appear before them twice in a week - [Libya al-Wafa]