The US Embassy in Tripoli joined the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) in calling for an “independent and transparent” investigation into the death of a political activist in a prison in Benghazi, eastern Libya.
The activist, a university professor, was arrested in October 2023 and held at the al-Rojma military base. Both the UN and Washington have urged for the “immediate release” of all individuals “arbitrarily detained” in Libya.
Siraj Doghman was a well-known writer, intellectual, university professor, and political activist in Libya. In a video released last Saturday, the Benghazi Internal Security Service (SSI), affiliated with the eastern forces, confirmed his death. According to the SSI, based on forensic expertise, he allegedly died “while attempting to escape from his prison cell on Friday” by “falling from a window and fracturing his skull.”
According to the security authorities in eastern Libya, Doghman’s arrest, along with others, was based on his “participation in a campaign” encouraging the “overthrow of official state agencies,” including the General Command of the army led by Khalifa Haftar.
A Situation Echoing the Former Regime of Gaddafi
While acknowledging the SSI’s statement, UNSMIL emphasized that “his arrest along with those of Fathi Al Baaja, Tarek Al-Bishari, Salem Laaribi, and Naser Daaessi is arbitrary,” and noted that they have “never been officially charged or appeared in court.”
In Libya, according to several international reports, human rights are often violated by the authorities in place. There are numerous political detainees in eastern Libya, especially in Benghazi, where Marshal Haftar maintains a firm grip on the country. This situation echoes the former regime of Gaddafi. Many individuals who worked in security services before 2011 have integrated into the security services of eastern Libya.