Statement by Niccolo’ Figa-Talamanca, Secretary-General of No Peace Without Justice, and Giulia Cappellazzi, Libya Program Officer:
“On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, No Peace Without Justice and the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT) want to remember Intissar Al Hassari, not only a prominent Libyan human rights activist and lawyer, but also a colleague, a strong supporter, and a true friend.
“We had the honour to work together with Intissar, who, as a woman and lawyer working on women’s rights, fair trial and accountability in Libya, always engaged with deep devotion to advocate for the protection and promotion of the rights of Libyan women and to fight for the redress of women victims of violence.
“Her loss comes at a time characterised by constant killings, kidnappings and widespread violence in Tripoli and in Libya. Intissar, whose body was found last 24 February with that of her aunt’s in her car, sadly becomes another female activist to be murdered in post 2011 Libya following the murder of Salwa Bugaighis on 25 June 2014 in Benghazi, and former Derna Congresswomen Fariha Al-Berkawi assassinated on 17 July 2014.
“Libya and the entire human rights international community have lost a precious friend, a colleague and women’s rights advocate. We mourn Intissar Al Hassari’s murder and urge all who knew her and whose lives she touched to carry on her legacy. NPWJ will certainly do so”.
NPWJ project on Libya
NPWJ has been working on the Libyan transition since early 2011, in the framework of its project to support Libya’s democratic transition through justice and accountability. As the country embarks on legislative reforms, the Libyan authorities can break with the legacy of impunity and abuses that typified Gaddafi’s rule with a new respect for the rule of law and a commitment to restoring justice and dignity to victims. Doing so requires not only the investigation and prosecution of the crimes and violence perpetrated during the revolution, but also efforts to confront a history of oppression and human rights abuses that dates back decades under the rule of the former regime.
For further information on the activities of NPWJ in Libya please contact Giulia Cappellazzi on gcappellazzi@npwj.org.
