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Reporters Without Borders Annual Report 2006 - Libya

Press freedom does not exist in the country of the "Brother Leader" Muammar Gaddafi. The media is totally controlled by the regime. Even the official daily, Al-Zhafa al-Akhdar, has been suspended several times for printing articles that displeased the regime. Journalist Daif al-Ghazal, 32, was tortured to death on 21 May 2005 in mysterious circumstances. The authorities promised to investigate but said nothing more. Ghazal had posted articles on the London-based opposition website libya-alyoum.com ("Libya Today") strongly criticising the government and its Movement of Revolutionary Committees (MRC).

Two journalists were in prison at the start of 2006 – Abdel Razak al-Mansouri, serving an 18-month sentence for posting criticism of the government online, and Abdullah Ali al-Sanussi, who has been held longer than any other journalist in the world (since 1973 without being charged or tried). His state of health and place of detention are not known. Despite Gaddafi's new attitude to Western countries, which led to economic sanctions being lifted against Libya in 2004, civil liberties continue to be totally ignored.

Topics: Freedom of expression,