CAIRO: Two British journalists and their Libyan colleagues held by a Libyan militia must be set free immediately or transferred into government custody, Amnesty International has said in an official press release. Amnesty International said the detention is another example of armed militias operating independently and with impunity. Reportedly, Nicholas Davies-Jones, Gareth Montgomery-Johnson and their Libyan colleagues have been held by the Suweihli militia since their capture in Tripoli on the morning of February 21. The Suweihli militia seized the men while they were allegedly filming in the capital. The militia accuses the two British men of entering the country without visas. “The detention of these journalists is unlawful and arbitrary, and their captors in the Suweihli militia must either release them immediately or transfer them into the custody of the central Libyan authorities,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, deputy director at Amnesty International. The British journalists' families told Amnesty International they remain concerned. UK authorities informed the families that British embassy staff in Tripoli visited the two journalists, and that the men were in good general health but fatigued. On Tuesday morning, a representative for several Misrata militias operating in Tripoli confirmed that the men were still held at the Suweihli militia headquarters in Tripoli. Nothing is known about the Libyan men detained with the UK nationals. These detentions, in the form of round-ups by the militias, are currently quite common in Libya. Very few if any of those detained have been brought to trial. During a recent month-long fact-finding mission to Libya, Amnesty International visited 11 detention facilities across the country. Many detainees said they had been tortured and Amnesty International saw evidence of torture. Torture methods used by the militias included beatings, and electric shocks. The challenges of transitional governments in the wake of the Arab Spring have been immense, and too, continue to mount as the nations find their way. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/zNuzt Tags: Amnesty International, featured, Journalists detained, Libya Section: Human Rights, Latest News, Libya
