AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Public Statement

AI Index: MDE 19/013/2004 (Public)

News Service No: 209

20 August 2004

Libya: Amnesty International welcomes response from Libyan authorities

Amnesty International has received a detailed response from the Libyan authorities to its report on Libya, published in April this year.

"We welcome this latest development in our dialogue with the Libyan authorities and their willingness to continue to engage on human rights issues."

Amnesty International is currently studying the government's response, which covers many of the issues and cases raised in the Amnesty International report. The organization will communicate its queries and comments to the Libyan authorities in due course.

In the meantime, Amnesty International welcomes positive moves to increase the protection of human rights in the legal framework, which are being discussed or have been agreed to by Libya's authorities. These include a draft law to abolish the People's Court, an exceptional court known to try political cases. The draft law is expected to be examined by the General People's Congress - Libya's parliament - in early September. Other steps include ratification of several additional international and regional human rights treaties, such as the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women.

The AI report Time to make human rights a reality was issued following a two-week visit to Libya by an Amnesty International delegation in February 2004. The visit culminated in a meeting with Colonel al-Gaddafi. The delegation had fruitful talks with senior Ministers and met a wide range of people, including prisoners, lawyers and members of the judiciary. Amnesty International looks forward to pursuing these discussions in the near future.

For a full copy of the report, please see:

Time to make human rights a reality- http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE190022004?open&of=ENG-LBY