Status Request: Dr. Abuzaid Dorda

Posted ??
last update March 30

It seems worth re-posting here this initial appeal, as run by Mathaba, to make safe a prominent captive of the new government of Free Libya. The UN Secretary General has already been alerted (or an attempt was made). I will follow up, in this space, with any news that emerges (not necessarily while it's new).

Help us to save the life of Dr. Abuzaid Omar Dorda
Posted: 2011/10/29
From: Mathaba

His life is in grave danger. Persons like Dr Dorda are important for any future prospects of peace in Libya, so now the Abdelhakim Belhaj’s Tripoli brigade are trying to kill him.

We are urging international community, humanitarian organizations, UN and CoE to promptly demand the release and guaranties for the life of this respected man, whose human rights are grossly violated, by the ‘new democratic’ Libyan regime.

He was thrown out of a window and one of his doctors told his family that both of his legs were broken and he has been badly beaten and tortured for the past month.

“Mr. Dorda survived a murder attempt last night, 25October, 2011, at the hands of his guards in the building where he was arrested. He was thrown off the second floor leading to several broken bones and other serious injuries. Authorities were forced to move Dorda to Maitiga hospital in Tripoli where as of now he is being held under extremely poor conditions. Dorda is not receiving the proper treatment duly and legally accorded a political prisoner, let alone that required under the terms of human rights and other international treaties.” [source]

Lizzie Phelan, an independent journalist from Britain, who was reporting from Libya during the NATO bombing, said:

“The Libyan media have tried to say that Dr Abuzaid Dorda, one of the most well respected members of Libyan politics in recent history, tried to commit suicide. Everybody knows how defiant and strong Dr Dorda is and that this is far from the truth. The reality is he was thrown out of a window and one of his doctors told his family that both of his legs were broken and he has been badly beaten and tortured for the past month. The last person to see him was a woman from Human Rights Watch called Susan a couple of weeks ago who said he was fine! (She has since left the country). The family has had no contact him since he was detained and they have no way of reaching him at a time when it is clear that now Abdelhakim Belhaj’s Tripoli brigade are trying to kill him. A figure like Dr Dorda is important for any future prospects of peace in Libya and the chances of a backlash are heightened if he is martyred. I have received a reliable report that the “rebels” tried to assassinate respected brother Dr Abuzaid Dorda, a senior member of the Libyan government who is held in high esteem by the Libyan people. Dr Dorda will not submit to the torture that they have tried to inflict (both of his legs have been broken and worse) and give over the information they desperately want from him. He used to be an ambassador to the United Nations himself, but now we can expect the United Nations and all other instiutions of “international law” look on while a senior figure of a sovereign state is threatened with assassination by their stooges?“

Want to help us in this campaign to save the life of Dr. Abuzaid Omar Dorda??? Send letters, emails, phone calls to the addresses listed at Libya S.O.S. or open and spread this PDF doc

Update March 29: I never did help spread the word beyond this, but someone did, and got someone beyond those who sympathize with the loyalists, those concerned only with "humans," to take up Dorda's case. Human Rights Watch, very anti-Gaddafi like the rest of the juggernaut, has said (on Feb. 14) he needs lawyers, medical care, and no more torture. He also needs to be either released or harged with something. I suspect it'll be the latter, and bullshit. The man is 67 years old. They intend to have him die in custody, and no exact reason is needed.

He told HRW that he wasn't thrown through a window, but jumped, after being threatened with violence, because jumping out a window requires a little explaining. Maybe the other marks are where he fell down the stairs, or bumped his head, clumsy him. That was all under a "small militia," but not the Belhaj/LIFG-led Tripoli Military Council had him and he said he felt safer.

Also, see below for a torturer-apologist demonization screed against poor Mr.Dorda. I draw the NTC's attention to the specific crimes this commentator lays out (with no evidence provided). These, he feels, justify any and all punishments Mr. Dorda (not Dr. he says) might suffer.
- "Abuzaid Durda was responsible for the killing and torturing thousands defenseless Libyans"
- "he stole billions of dollars"
- He's a "low life scum bag drunken fool"
- He was "the first to start kissing [Gaddafi's] ass [in 1969]"