Bad for business: Armed Libya "revolutionaries" kidnapping corporate officials on vague accusations of helping Gaddafihttp://ow.ly/1QEva9
3:40 PM - 30 Dec 12 · Details
| Militias Holding Medavia Officials 'Surprised' at Maltese Government's 'Involvement' in Case 29/12/2012 14:27:00 | ||||||||
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Mr Abdulrazagh Zmirli, the Medavia managing director, still detained in Libya
A source close to the militia at Zawiyah currently detaining Medavia managing director Abdulrazagh Zmirli and the Malta-based air services company's technical manager Abdallah Dekna, expressed surprise that the Maltese government is trying to get involved in the case. The source, whose name cannot be divulged as he was not authorised to talk about the arrest, told tripolipost.com that no foreign government has the right to interfere in Libya's internal affairs. He said that although Mr Zmirli might also have Maltese citizenship, he is primarily a Libyan, he said. He added however, that he will be treated well and if he is found to be innocent, he will be released in due time. The source was reacting to the news that Malta, through its foreign affairs minister, was making representations with the Libyan government in order to be granted diplomatic access to the two Medavia officials, and that the Libyan authorities were “actively considering” Malta's request. Zmirli and Dekna, who were arrested before boarding a return flight to Malta last week, have not yet been charged. They are still under interrogation and questioned as to alleged contacts with the former dictatorial Gaddafi regime and that they may allegedly have helped the regime of flying mercenaries into the country in order to fight for the regime in last year's conflict the ended Gaddafi's rule. A judicial decision to charge or release the men still had to be taken but Libyan sources said the The The Zawiyah militia may also be applying a law passed during the Gaddafi era that allows that allows detention of suspects up to 45 days. It was at first thought that failing the levelling of charge, both men could have been freed last Tuesday, a week after their arrest. Meanwhile, Maltese foreign affairs minister Dr Zammit Dimech has been quoted saying that, the Maltese government's request to have access to Mr Zmirli was made in the past days. He added that they have been informed that the request “is being actively considered by the Libyan authorities.” In the meantime the Maltese government has been assured that the two men are being well looked after and that they also have access to a lawyer. It is also closely monitoring the situation and keeping contact with the families of both men in Malta. | ||||||||
