17 ambassadors, mostly from European countries, sent a letter to the Libyan Internal Security Agency expressing deep concern over what they described as an ongoing crackdown targeting non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and aid workers in the country.
According to Agence France-Presse, the ambassadors expressed in their letter their fear that these measures could negatively affect the delivery of humanitarian aid, particularly in the field of primary health care.
The ambassadors warned that a number of organizations may be forced to suspend their activities or withdraw from Libya.
They called on the Internal Security Agency to allow the reopening of humanitarian organizations’ offices and the safe resumption of their work as soon as possible, stressing the need to respect humanitarian principles and ensure continued support for those in need.
The Internal Security Agency had earlier announced the closure of several NGO offices, accusing some of them of engaging in suspicious activities under the guise of freedoms and human rights, including promoting what it described as atheistic ideology and involvement in the illegal resettlement of immigrants, exploiting the country’s state of instability.
In a press conference, the agency said that the Italian organization Terre des Hommes was involved in the resettlement of immigrants, while the offices of other organizations, including the International Medical Corps, the Danish Refugee Council, and the Italian organization CESVI, were closed on charges related to smuggling, money laundering, and anti-state activities.
It also accused the French organization Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) of training Libyan doctors on safe abortion practices, which it considered to be in violation of Islamic law, asserting that this was done without the knowledge or coordination of the relevant health authorities in Libya.
