Dozens of Christians tortured in Libya detention center – detaineesMarch 16, 2013 - 10:01 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Dozens of Coptic Christians were tortured inside a detention centre run by a powerful militia in eastern Libya, two of the recently released detainees have said amid a wave of assaults targeting Christians in Benghazi and the latest instance of alleged abuse by Libyan security forcesm Belfast Telegraph said. The two, among an estimated 50 Egyptian Christians who have been detained in Libya on suspicion of proselytising, told of being rounded up in a market by gunmen who checked their right wrists for tattoos of crosses. "They first checked our wrists searching for the crosses and if they found them, we (had to) get into their cars," said 26-year-old Amgad Zaki from the southern city of Samalout in Minya province, 135 miles south of Cairo. Zaki said a group of men - some in uniform and some in civilian clothes - rounded up Egyptians selling clothes in a market called el-Jareed in Benghazi on February 26. He and other Christians climbed into SUVs that he said carried the sign of Libya Shield One, one of the most powerful militias in Benghazi that is under the command of Islamist and ex-rebel Wassam Bin Hemad. "They shaved our heads. They threatened to sever our heads in implementation of Islamic Shariah (law) while showing us swords," said Zaki, who was interviewed on the telephone from his home after returning to Egypt earlier this month. "They dealt with us in a very brutal way, including forcing us to insult our Pope Shenouda," Zaki said, referring to the former Coptic pontiff who died last year. He said that during four days of detention they were flogged, forced to take off their clothes in cold weather and stand at 3am outdoors on floor covered with stones. "I was taken to clean a bathroom, and the man pushed my head inside the toilet and sat on me," he said. "I was dying every day, and at one point I thought death is better than this." Militias have been targeting Christians, women, journalists, refugees and those considered former loyalists of Muammar Gaddafi, who was toppled and killed in Libya's 2011 civil war. The state relies on the militias to serve as security forces since Libya's police and military remain in shambles. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |