Mustafa Abdel Kabir, Director of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, criticized the detention of over 50 Tunisians in Libya and the seizure of vehicles by Libyan authorities. He noted a mutual failure in border management and urged governmental cooperation to resolve issues affecting Tunisian citizens. The Ministry of Interior in Libya expressed commitment to combating smuggling, while Tunisia recently sentenced a Libyan for couscous smuggling, raising tensions further.
Mustafa Abdel Kabir, Director of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, expressed concern over the detention of over 50 Tunisians in Libya, including two minors. He indicated that Libyan authorities had confiscated more than 25 vehicles transferred into Libya and that the affected individuals were being held in a Tripoli prison. He urged both Tunisian and Libyan authorities to resolve these ongoing issues, labeling the situation as a form of “repeated assaults on Tunisian citizens.”
Abdel Kabir emphasized a mutual failure in managing border crossings and facilitating the travel of individuals, stating that “ordinary people are paying the price” for these inefficiencies. Concurrently, the Ministry of Interior from the Government of National Unity in Libya affirmed its commitment to combating all forms of smuggling. It also aims to implement deterrent measures to safeguard the national economy and enhance public security.
In a related development, Tunisian authorities sentenced a Libyan citizen to five years in prison for smuggling 150 kilograms of couscous. This incident provoked public outcry, leading to increased detentions of Tunisian fuel smugglers and stricter anti-smuggling regulations, described by local media as a crackdown on cross-border trade.
The ongoing detention of Tunisians in Libya and the recent increase in smuggling arrests highlight significant tensions between the two nations. Mustafa Abdel Kabir’s call for collaboration reflects the urgency of addressing border management issues and protecting citizens’ rights. Both governments appear to be under pressure to balance security measures with the facilitation of legitimate cross-border trade.
Original Source: libyaobserver.ly
