Two employees from the Libyan Audit Bureau – Mohammed Al-Jabri and Mustafa Abu Salah – were abducted from in front Al-Khadra Hospital in Abu Salim, Tripoli, last Monday, according to a statement by the bureau.
The employees were kidnapped while doing some work on certain contracts of the hospital.
Abu Salah was released on the same day, while Al-Jabri is still in custody up until today.
“They are trying to pressure the bureau by abducting and terrifying the employees in order to make it look away from the contract of importing a device for the hospital that is worth 1.85 million dinars, which the bureau did not approve and tied it to more inspection. Besides the inspection of why the hospital is trying to import a new device instead of the existing ones, which only need regular available maintenance.” The statement reads.
The Audit Bureau accused the Head of the hospital of threatening the bureau’s inspectors with force if they continued their investigation about the violations in the hospital as well as about the fact that they have devices but are refraining from using them, pushing Libyans to go to the private sector or travel abroad for the healthcare services.
“Such attacks on the bureau employees are repetitive and no actions have been made by official authorities to deter them despite the fact that the bureau sent legal requests in that regard.” The statement adds.
It also said that these attacks can undermine the efforts to build the state of law and can end the efforts of reconciliation.
“We call on all relevant authorities to help facilitate the release of Al-Jabri and bring him back to his family.” The Audit Bureau added.
