Cairo July 12, 2012

ANHRI expressed its irritation of the news about the abduction of the two photojournalists “Abdulqader Fasowk” and “Yusuf Badi” of “Tobakts” channel, during coverage to the election-process in “Mazdah” near to “Bani-El-Waleed”, on last Saturday.

“Tobakts”, its bas in “Misratah”, announced that the two photojournalists were kidnapped in the city of “Bani-El-Waleed”, as they covered the election-process there. They appeared on the Internet, in a video, they said they were arrested, without specifying the entity that put them in custody, they were arrested because they entered “Bani-El-Waleed” “illegibly” and for taking pictures of military sites. Tobakts”, called the army and government to immediately release them.

Reports of ” Reporters without borders”, said that the abductors asked the release of people in “Misratah” in order to release them. Some Libyan media figures issued a report denouncing the abduction of the photojournalists and called the abductors to immediately release them.

The reactions of the authorities were disappointing and the Libyan government. The governemnt only condemned the abduction, while the military command condemned that some in-responsple people who implementing the law, two delegations from the Transition National Council and the government head to “Bani-El-Waleed” in an attempt to release the photojournalists.

ANHRI express its worry about the photojournalists and its outrageous from the Libyan authorities reaction. ANHRI said “the lax of the Libyan authorities is unacceptable, which took the power after the revolution, it should bear its responsibility in securing the photojournalists, in particularity, after they played an effective role in covering the revolution”.

ANHRI said “the abduction of the photojournalists during their job, is a serious violation against the freedom of the press and media in the country. Detaining people by un-official entities is a serious violation to the ambitions of the Libyan people in achieving the rule of law after the revolution, no one should claim that he is taking a part in implementing the law”.

ANHRI called the Libyan authorities to bear its responsibility toward the photojournalists, to guarantee the immediate release of them and their safety. It should also exert serious efforts to secure and protect the media- staff in the country, as well as the freedom of moving, as they are part of the fundamental freedoms, that is agreed upon in all of the world”.