FILE – Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building
CAIRO – 17 June 2020: Chair of the Arab Affairs Committee at the House of Representatives Ahmed Raslan plans to summon the minister of foreign affairs over the torture and kidnap of Egyptian expats western Libya by the militias protecting Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA).
CAIRO - 15 June 2020: The Egyptian Minister of Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs Nabila Makram said Monday that the Egypt will not stay silent before any assault against the Egyptian expats and will respond immediately to such heinous actions.
Spokesperson of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Ahmed al-Mesmary stated on June 15 that 19-22 Egyptian workers were kidnapped from Tarhouna by Al-Hazm militia and are held in Misrata.
A day earlier, Mesmary affirmed that the video circulating on social media of Egyptians tortured by militants in Libya is real, and that it was shot in Tarhouna.
CAIRO - 15 - June 2020: Spokesperson of the Libyan National Army Ahmed al-Mesmary said in a press conference Sunday militias affiliated to Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) tortured Egyptian expats in Tarhouna western Libya.
In the committee's meeting on June 16, Parliamentarian MostafaBakrydemanded a clarification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the reasons behind keeping the embassy affiliated to the GNA, which is an interim non-elected UN-recognized government.
Bakry pointed out that the GNA is illegitimate and that its presence lacks the consent of the elected House of Representatives based in Tobruk, eastern Libya. He described the MoUs signed in December 2019 by the GNA and Turkey on defense and gas drilling in the Mediterranean as treason and disgrace "as it opens the doors of Libya for foreign occupation and theft of its resources like oil and gas."
The parliamentarian asserted that what is happening on the Libyan scene has dangerous reflections on the Egyptian national security. "We have to question the reasons behind keeping the GNA's ambassadors in member states of the Arab League, including Egypt," Bakry said.
"If Egypt and the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' stance is rooted in the United Nations' recognition of Skhirat Agreement [signed in December 2015] providing the formation of a government. I say that Skhirat Agreement gives the GNA 18 months as transitional period starting from December 17, 2015, and one year to achieve certain tasks. If not accomplished, only one-year extension is given. Not to mention that it has to be first approved by the House of Representatives recognized in the Skhirat Agreement," Bakry elaborated.
"I don't understand why keep the GNA's ambassador without legal or constitutional justifications, particularly in light of the flagrant human rights violations committed against 200 Egyptian expats in Libya. They were tortured and coerced to speak against the Egyptian state, its president, the LNA, and its commander-in-chief KhalifaHaftar as well as chant the names of the GNA's militias in a humiliating scene," the parliamentarian added.
Bakry affirmed his confidence in the political leadership, and the national Egyptian institutions and agencies in reacting in a way that matches to the level of the savage incident committed against the Egyptians.
"The least response is kicking out the GNA's ambassador from Cairo, and appointing another nominated by the Tobruk-based government formed by the legitimate Libyan House of Representatives," the parliamentarian demanded.
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