By Noora Ibrahim.
Benghazi, 27 May 2014:
Tributes have been paid to the life and work of slain Benghazi newspaper editor Muftah Awad . . .[restrict]Buzid, while his killing has been roundly condemned.
Last night in Benghazi, some 50 residents gathered outside the Tibesti Hotel to remember Buzid, a popular local journalist and editor and to protest about his killing.
One fellow journalist described him as a good and brave man whose love for the country meant he was not afraid to speak honestly about the security situation in the city. Family friends said he had received death threats before but these had not deterred him from his work.
In Tripoli yesterday, funeral prayers for Buzid were performed in Martyrs’ Square, attended by Culture Minister Habib Al-Amin, along with journalists and intellectuals.
The government was considering naming Buzid a martyr, Amin said.
Buzid, also the editor of Benghazi-based Burniq newspaper, was shot dead yesterday morning in downtown Benghazi after his car was surrounded and stopped by three vehicles.
An unmasked gunman reportedly walked up to his car and opened fire through the closed window. Photos of the damaged car which have been circulated on social media websites clearly show that more than ten bullets were fired at Buzid. On the passenger seat was a box of newspapers.
The government condemned the killing, saying: “Terrorist forces cannot extinguish the flame of freedom of the revolution.” It reaffirmed its commitment to fighting terrorism.
The GNC described Buzid’s killing as a terrorist act aimed at undermining the security, safety and freedom of innocent people and deliberately disrupting the process of building the state of Libya.
The night before his death, Buzid had appeared on the Libya Al-Ahrar television station urging the GNC to admit that the country had a problem with terrorism, adding that they needed to fight this.
In Misrata, news of the killing sparked demonstrations against the presence of terrorist organisations in Libya and in support of the police and the army. Some protestors carried pictures of Buzid, others of local martyrs of the revolution, according to Libyan news agency LANA.
Media institutions in Zliten condemned Buzid’s murder, calling it a cowardly act against the press and freedom of opinion and expression. They said security authorities should provide protection for journalists and media outlets to help them safely do their job. [/restrict]
