Baha al-Kikhiya, Mansour al-Kikhiya's wife, told Amnesty International:
"As a woman and as a mother, I have had to live with the suffering of not
knowing where my husband is and whether he is still alive. My children and
I just want to know the truth, whatever that may be."
Mansour al-Kikhiya, a Libyan national, was last seen on 10 December 1993
in Cairo, Egypt, where he was attending the general conference of the Arab
Organisation for Human Rights. He had worked in the Libyan government for
a number of years and resigned from office in 1980 in protest at the
execution of political opponents by the Libyan authorities that year.
Despite repeated attempts by his family and human rights organisations to
seek clarification about his whereabouts, his family are still awaiting
news about him.
In recent years, the Libyan authorities have shown signs of willingness to
address the human rights situation in the country. The waves of releases
of political prisoners in 2001 and 2002 were an important step in this
direction. Amnesty International has received information from the
authorities, stating that they have "conducted a series of investigations
to determine (Mansour al-Kikhiya's) whereabouts" but that "(his)
disappearance remains a mystery".
Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said:
"Amnesty International calls on the Libyan authorities to take decisive
action to clarify the fate of Libyans who 'disappeared' inside and outside
the country.
"Their families must be given all available information as to their fate
and whereabouts."
Over the years, Mansour al-Kikhiya's family has heard numerous and
sometimes conflicting allegations about his fate. One persistent rumour
suggests that he may have been handed over by Egypt to Libya, where he may
still be detained.
Kate Allen added:
"It is cruel and inhuman that ten years on, Mansour al-Kikhiya's wife and
children are still trying to get an answer from the authorities on whether
he is held in secret detention or has died in custody. It is high time
those answers were given."
Mansour al-Kikhiya's "disappearance" is one of a number of cases of Libyan
nationals who "disappeared" both inside and outside the country. Jaballah
Matar and Izzat Youssef al-Maqrif, two prominent opposition activists,
disappeared in Cairo in March 1990. For well over a decade, their
whereabouts have remained unknown. Their families have received
unconfirmed reports, suggesting that they were both handed over to the
Libyan authorities immediately following their reported arrests by
officers from the State Security Investigations in Cairo, and that they
were detained without charge or trial in Abu Salim Prison in Tripoli.
Kate Allen said:
"The Libyan authorities must open thorough, impartial and independent
investigations into the cases of all those who 'disappeared' inside and
outside the country and make public the findings."
Amnesty International is calling on the Libyan authorities to ensure
reparation for victims of "disappearance" or their families and return the
remains of those "disappeared" who have died in custody. They must also
bring those suspected of human rights violations in connection with
"disappearances" to justice in trials which conform to international
standards for fair trial.