Libya kidnap, smuggling kingpin arrested

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Government of National Accord

from AHMED ZAYED in Tripoli, Libya
TRIPOLI, (CAJ News) THE arrest of a human trafficker and fuel smuggling kingpin has been hailed as a major step towards accountability, rule of law and dismantling criminal networks in Libya.

Government of National Accord (GNA) law enforcement agencies arrested Abd Al-Rahman Milad last Friday.

Commonly known as ‘al-Bija’, he has been on the United Nations (UN) Security Council’s Sanctions Committee list since June 2018.

Milad was also subject to a special bulletin of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL).

The Tripoli Public Prosecution Office issued an arrest warrant in April 2019.

The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) stated such arrests constituted an important step towards ensuring justice for thousands of vulnerable people, locals and migrants alike, and promoting respect for human rights in the North African country.

UNSMIL nonetheless stressed the imperative for a fair, transparent and speedy trial for Milad and all individuals currently held in pre-trial detention.

“UNSMIL is committed to continued partnership with Libyan competent authorities to ensure due process and the supremacy of the rule of law,” a spokesperson assured.

UN created the mission in Libya in 2011 in the aftermath of the civil war.

The war led to the ouster and murder of longtime leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

Libya, the oil-rich nation of about 7 million people, has since then been rocked by instability.

The latest crisis peaked in April 2019 when the rebel Libya National Army (LNA) launched an offensive against the GNA in the capital Tripoli.

– CAJ News

 

 

 

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