Threatening the right to life of the judges is a threat to the conditions of justice in Libya

Cairo, 18^th February, 2014

Threatening the right to life of the judges is a threat to the conditions of justice in Libya

The Arab Center for Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Professions (ACIJLP) expresses its full condemnation of all forms of violence, especially that represent a grave threat to the right to life, and expresses its deep regret and condemnation regarding the assassination of Libyan Chancellor\ Abdul Aziz Abdul Hamid al-Husadi Chancellor of the Supreme Court and former Attorney General on 9^th February 2014 in the Libyan city" Derna"

The ACIJLP believes that such kind of crimes, not only form seriousness and gravity of the threat to the judges right to life, but also its seriousness extended to breach justice and violate its independence.

The ACIJLP has many of the doubts and concerns over the fact that these crimes are committed in typical and systematic manner, especially as the assassination of Al-Husadi is not the first of its kind taking place in Libya at this time , where preceded by several similar crimes such as the assassination chancellor Murad Alraobe in Tripoli and Chancellor GomaaAl- Jazawi in Benghazi and Chancellor Mohamed Naguib Huwaydi and Chancellor Mohamed Khalifa Al-Naas and Chancellor Youssef Al-Kreamy in Derna as well as the injury of judge Hilal Boufares by a bullet.  In addition to the repeated threats and attacks on the headquarters of the courts , disrupting work in courts such as Sirte court of first instance and Court of north and south Benghazi and Derna court of first instance and others.

The ACIJLP believes that the existence of such criminal acts should not be a reason to resort to extraordinary measures, or an excuse to violate the guarantees of fair and equitable trial of the defendants or those involved in committing this kind of crime.

The ACIJLP expresses its full condemnation of all forms of violence in general, especially the assassinations of judges in Libya, and the emergence of this kind of criminal acts. Therefore, the ACIJLP calls upon the concerned Libyan authorities to take immediate and urgent action to the prosecution and accountability of the perpetrators and instigators of violence and murder and bring them to fair and equitable trials. The center also calls upon the Libyan authorities to take all actions and measures to protect the right of judges in life, as well as the protection of the role of Justice.