U.S. Embassy Shocked by Murder of Attorney, Concerned About Abductees

We are gravely concerned by and closely following media reports that Hanan Al-Barassi, a vocal attorney who actively sought to fight corruption in Libya, was murdered today in Benghazi. Silencing the voices of peaceful activists should not be tolerated and we reiterate our strong commitment to allowing all Libyans, including women and youth, to have a voice in their country’s future. As Libyans from across the political spectrum gather in Tunis, this brazen killing underscores the importance of establishing a government that is accountable to the Libyan people rather than allowing corruption and brute force to dictate Libya’s future. We urge Libyan authorities to investigate this killing and bring all those responsible to justice. We would also use this occasion to express concern about reports that airline passengers traveling from Benghazi to Tripoli were illegally detained after arrival on one of the first renewed East-West commercial flights. On the eve of a political solution to the conflict in Libya, the era of missing and murdered civilians must come to an end now.