Twelve Tunisian nationals are currently being held in the Al-Matrad district of Zawiya, in western Libya, according to the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, which is calling for their immediate and unconditional release while firmly rejecting any prospect of a prisoner exchange.
In a statement reported by Tunisian media, the head of the organization, Mustapha Abdelkabir, said the detention of the twelve Tunisians may be linked to the recent arrest in Tunisia of three Libyan nationals suspected of involvement in an attempted assassination targeting Abdelmajid Mliqta.
However, the rights group stressed that the detained Tunisians have absolutely no connection to the case, arguing that their detention is not based on any known legal grounds or formal security cooperation mechanism between the two countries. Abdelkabir warned strongly against any attempt to use the detainees as leverage or bargaining chips in the ongoing judicial case involving the Libyan nationals arrested in Tunisia. He added that contacts are currently under way with civil society actors in Zawiya in an effort to find a peaceful resolution to the situation, while reiterating his urge for the immediate and unconditional release of the twelve citizens. The Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights stated that it holds both the Libyan authorities and the groups detaining the individuals fully responsible for their safety and security, though no official reaction from Libyan authorities had been reported at the time of publication.
MK/te/Sf/lb/abj/APA