Delegations from European Union and 12 European countries to Libya on Sunday released a statement calling out for the immediate release of House of Representatives member Siham Sirgiwa who was kidnapped in July in the eastern city of Benghazi, reported The Libya Observer.
The statement expressed deep concern regarding the continued disappearance of Sirgiwa and called for her immediate release.
“The embassies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the EU Delegation, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the UK to Libya express their deep concern regarding the continued disappearance of House of Representatives member Siham Sergiwa, and call for her immediate release,” the joint statement read.
In July, some unidentified gunmen kidnapped Sergiwa from her home in Benghazi, took her to an unknown location and shot her husband.
The statement called out Libyan authorities to conduct urgent investigations into her disappearance, and provide an update on her whereabouts. It added that violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws will not go unnoticed, and perpetrators will be held accountable before the law.
“The trend of attacks against politicians, political activists and members of civil society, and in particular women, is unacceptable,” the statement said.
Some Libyan officials and lawmakers cited sources saying Sirgiwa was killed on the first day she was kidnapped.
The Tripoli-based UN-backed government held the rival eastern-based army responsible for the incident as Benghazi is controlled by Khalifa Haftar led army which is currently engaged in a deadly armed conflict with the government over the control of Tripoli.
In related news, the United States government also appealed to the eastern-based army of Libya on Thursday to end the military operation which has been ongoing since early April.
“The United States calls on the ‘Libyan National Army’ to end its offensive on Tripoli. This will further facilitate U.S.-Libya cooperation to prevent undue foreign interference, reinforce legitimate state authority, and address the issues underlying the conflict,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement.
