UN Humanitarian Coordinator Calls for Immediate Release of Abducted Libyan Aid Workers

12 June 2015 – The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya expresses deep concern about the continued abduction in Libya of three aid workers affiliated with UN agencies and calls for their immediate and unconditional release.

The coordinator is also concerned about the impact of this incident on the ability of the international community and its Libyan partner organizations to distribute much-needed humanitarian assistance to the most affected communities in Libya, including to internally displaced people.

He urges all those in position of responsibility and influence to intervene to ensure the release of the three workers and facilitate the delivery of urgent humanitarian assistance to all those in need in Libya. The Humanitarian Coordinator recalls that hostage-taking and intentionally directing attacks against civilian personnel involved in a humanitarian assistance mission are war crimes.

The abducted Libyans work for the Shaik Tahir Azzawy Charity Organization, an implementing partner for a number of international humanitarian agencies. They were abducted on 5 June in al-Shwayrif, a town located over 400 kilometres south of the capital Tripoli, while on their way to deliver humanitarian assistance to south-western Libya.