Abducted Libya political activist released: media

A Libyan political activist who was abducted by an unknown armed group in western Libya has been released, local media reported Thursday.

Al-Moatassim Al-Areebi, 29, was released a day after the United Nations said it was “deeply concerned” over his abduction.

“Unidentified men released activist Al-Moatassim Al-Areebi, detained since last Monday in Misrata,” about 190 kilometers (120 miles) east of the capital Tripoli, the Al-Wasat TV channel said.

Areebi was released after “calls from the UN mission in Libya and the embassies of France and the United States,” as well as a large online campaign demanding his release, the channel added.

Photos shared on social media on Thursday showed the activist walking in the streets of Misrata.

The armed men who abducted him earlier in the week have not been identified, and media did not report any reasons for his abduction and release.

The UN mission on Wednesday called on “law enforcement agencies to urgently investigate the abduction of Mr. Al-Areebi, disclose his whereabouts, and secure his safe and immediate release.”

It also called for “the immediate and unconditional release of all arbitrarily detained individuals” in the conflict-plagued country.

It said it has “documented cases of at least 60 individuals currently detained across the country for their actual or perceived political affiliation.”

“Reports of arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, ill-treatment, torture, and deaths in custody committed with impunity continue to plague Libya,” it added.

Kidnappings are not uncommon in the restive North African country, including in May, when an elected member of Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives was abducted in the city of Benghazi.

In 2019, Siham Sergewa, another representative, was abducted in Benghazi and remains missing.

Libya has been wracked by division and unrest since the 2011 NATO-backed overthrow of former dictator Muammar Qaddafi.

It is currently divided between two rival administrations based in Tripoli and Benghazi.