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By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 1 November 2021:
Libyan NGO, the National Council for Public Liberties and Human Rights (NCPLHR) yesterday denounced the House of Representatives’ (parliament) recently passed cybercrime law for violating international obligations to protect basic freedoms.
Here is its full statement:
‘‘The Council, while denouncing these decisions, reminds the Libyan House of Representatives of the importance of respecting freedom of expression as it is a basic human right in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in its article (19).
The Council calls on the legislative authority to review or repeal this law, which would silence civil activists and human rights defenders as it represents a violation of their right to freedom of expression, and reminds us of the practices of the totalitarian regime in the past decades that denied civil society participation in political life.
Also, social media is the mirror of the society in which it sees itself, to express their opinions on topics related to the decision-making process, as it enables it to significantly change the political, social and economic viewpoints on all issues.
Despite the repressive nature of the Anti-Cybercrime Law issued by the House of Representatives, which cannot be ignored for its obstruction of civil society and its restriction of public freedoms, we are surprised by its insistence on issuing the law and its completion in a short time from the calls of deputies to demand it, while reluctant to issue legislation related to human rights, which would end the ongoing state of impunity to support initiatives to achieve transitional justice in the country.’’
