15 Jun 12 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Libya’s Supreme Court yesterday threw out a new law criminalising the glorification of ousted dictator Muammar Gaddafi or his supporters. The law was deemed to be “unconstitutional”, after a group of Libyan lawyers argued against the law for violating international law and the country’s interim constitutional covenant.
08 Apr 11 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, News and features
The Libyan government has decided to deport 26 foreign journalists from the country. The journalists, who had all been invited by the government, were initially told that they would have to leave by Thursday; however their departure has now been postponed until 9 April. Reports suggest that the names of the reporters were posted in the lobby of the hotel they were staying in. This deportation follows the expulsion of various other journalists from the country.
22 Mar 11 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Four New York Times reporters being held by pro-Gaddafi forces have now been released, but a further 13 journalists from various media organisations are still missing or in detention. The New York Times reporters were released to Turkish diplomats on Monday and have reported mistreatment including death threats and sexual assault on the only female reporter. The driver for the two AFP reporters and the Getty Images photographer who went missing in Libya said that they are being held by pro-Gaddafi forces after being intercepted by soldiers.
14 Mar 11 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Ali Hassan Al Jaber, an Al Jazeera cameraman, was killed in Libya on 12 March after being shot by unknown attackers, in an ambush by forces loyal to Gaddafi.
After covering an anti-government protest, the Al Jazeera team was on its way to the city of Benghazi, when the car they were travelling in came under fire. Another journalist in the car received minor gun shot wounds. Al Jaber is the first journalist to have been killed while covering the recent unrest in Libya.
Wadah Khanfar, the director-general of Al Jazeera, condemned the attack on its journalists: “Al Jazeera reiterates the assault cannot dent its resolve to continue its mission, professionally enlightening the public of the unfolding events in Libya and elsewhere.”
It is also reported that Brazilian journalist, Andrei Netto, who was being held by Libyan authorities has now been released. However, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, a Guardian journalist who was detained at the same time as Netto, is still in custody.
