Nasser al-Hawari, a rights activist, was detained in Egypt for criticizing Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar on his television show. Despite calls from Amnesty International for his release, Egyptian authorities have not disclosed his whereabouts. The circumstances of his detention raise concerns regarding human rights and the relationship between the Egyptian government and Haftar.
Rights activist Nasser al-Hawari has been detained in Alexandria, Egypt, following his criticisms of Khalifa Haftar, a Libyan warlord. His arrest occurred on February 9, 2024, shortly after he discussed, on his television show, human rights abuses allegedly perpetrated by militias allied with Haftar. Al-Hawari pledged in the broadcast to disclose further evidence of these abuses in future episodes.
Haftar serves as the de facto leader of eastern Libya and has historically received military and logistical support from the Egyptian government. The Egyptian authorities have not disclosed al-Hawari’s location to his family, which Amnesty International has reported.
Mahmoud Shalaby, an international researcher with Amnesty International, noted, “Nasser al-Hawari’s distressed family have not heard from him since he was seized without explanation or an arrest warrant and subjected to enforced disappearance.” He further urged the Egyptian authorities to reveal al-Hawari’s whereabouts and ensure his right to communicate with family and legal counsel.
In a concerning development, Egyptian police briefly detained al-Hawari’s brother, issuing threats of further detainment should he disclose details regarding Nasser’s detention. Nasser al-Hawari is the director of the organization Victims for Human Rights and has been documenting human rights violations in Libya since founding the Libyan Observatory for Human Rights.
After fleeing Libya for Tunisia in early 2024 due to previous detainment by militias in Tripoli, al-Hawari has resided in Egypt since the middle of 2024. His history of vocal opposition to Haftar’s actions forced him to escape eastern Libya in 2023. Shalaby concluded, “The close relationship between the Egyptian government and Khalifa Haftar should never justify retaliating against Nasser al-Hawari for exposing human rights violations committed by forces under Khalifa Haftar’s command.”
Nasser al-Hawari, an Egyptian-Libyan human rights activist, was detained in Egypt after criticizing Khalifa Haftar amid allegations of human rights violations. He remains missing, with Egyptian authorities refusing to disclose his whereabouts, raising serious concerns about enforced disappearance and the treatment of dissenters. Amnesty International calls for his immediate release and highlights the implications of Egypt’s relationship with Haftar in stifling human rights advocacy.
Original Source: www.newarab.com
