A/HRC/13/42*
page 169
Date of release
He was released on about 10 February 2007.
* Information contained is from an interview with the interviewee and other credible
sources.
Case 11 - Biographic details
Name of interviewee
Mr. Aissa Hamoudi*
Nationality/country of origin
Algeria and Switzerland
Gender
Male
Date of initial detention
18 November 2007
Location of the initial detention
Tripoli, Libya
Grounds of initial detention
Unknown.
The authority(ies) involved in the detention
Libyan Police and Interior Services
Total period of detention
Approximately 3 ½ months
Duration of secret detention
Approximately 3 ½ months
Site(s) of detention, including sites of possible transit
He was detained in a police station for four hours and then transferred to another police station
overnight. He was transferred to the custody of the Interior Services and detained in a prison
where he remained for three months. Although this prison was publically known, his detention
was kept secret. He was subsequently transferred to the “Passports Prison” (which houses up
to 4000 prisoners, many foreigners) of the Exterior Services for ten days.
Conditions and treatment
At the prison of the Interior Services he was interrogated while blindfolded on a weekly or
fortnightly basis. During the last month at the Interior Services’ prison, he was left in a cell
without bathroom or water. He was beaten once when he tried to undertake a hunger strike. In
the “Passports Prison” he experienced terrible sanitary conditions. He witnessed the torture of
other detainees but was not interrogated nor tortured himself.
Judicial Proceedings
He was never formally charged with any offence.
Date of release
End of February 2008.
Additional Information
The Libyan authorities never acknowledged his detention nor provided any information about
him. His family repeatedly contacted Swiss and Algerian Departments of Foreign Affairs to
try and locate him. His family also sent letters to President Bouteflika of Algeria asking the
Government to intervene. A representative of the Consulate of Algeria in Tripoli did visit the
prison to clarify the number of Algerian nationals held in the prison and when this official
learned of his detention he initiated steps which may have led to his subsequent release.
* Information contained is from an interview with the interviewee and other credible
sources.
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