The Libyan authorities must end their campaign to discredit Eman al-Obeidi, said Amnesty International, after the government said she was being sued by the security officials who she says raped her.  

Law graduate Iman al-Obeidi was dragged out of a Tripoli hotel on 26 March by security forces and detained, after announcing to international journalists that she had been raped by Libyan soldiers loyal to Colonel Mu'ammar Gaddafi.

Amnesty International is issuing an urgent action to its members, urging them  to write to the Libyan authorities and demand Eman al-Obeidi’s release.

Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International’s Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said:

“It is simply outrageous that Eman al-Obeidi is now being targeted by the very officials whom she has accused, with the apparent approval of the Libyan authorities.  

“This looks to be nothing but an attempt at face-saving by the government. Instead of carrying out this smear campaign, they should release her and independently investigate her allegations.

“Eman al-Obeidi has effectively disappeared. We fear that she is being detained and put under pressure to withdraw her allegations.

“Eman al-Obeidi’s case is alarming also because of the signal it sends to other Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights who may be subject to rape or other sexual violence, and who may now fear to come forward and disclose what has been done to them.”

During Colonel al-Gaddafi’s long rule in Libya, critics and opponents of his government have been routinely subjected to detention, torture and disappearance.  

Amnesty International has recently documented further cases of enforced disappearance by his forces since the current protests began.