Cairo, 19 February, 2023 / 8:47 pm (ACI Africa).
The foreign ministry of Egypt has reported the release of six Christian Egyptians who had been abducted and “illegally detained” in Libya on February 6.
“The men, all relatives from Egypt’s southern city of Sohag, were abducted after traveling to the lawless North African country in search of work in early February,” AP has reported Friday, February 17, quoting the men’s family lawyer, Amir Nassif, adding, “The six men will shortly return to Egypt”.
The reported release of the six Egyptian Christians came a couple of days after the UK-based human rights foundation, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), denouncing the kidnapping and detention, which they termed the “latest brutality committed against Egyptian Christians in Libya.”
In a Thursday, Friday 15 statement, CSW says the six men who had traveled to Libya’s capital, Tripoli, for work, on February 6, were stopped at an illegal checkpoint after leaving the airport and transported to an unknown location. Their Libyan driver was reportedly released immediately by the abductors.
Mervyn Thomas, CSW Founder President, said, “The fact that these men were abducted so soon upon arrival and are being held with many other foreign nationals highlights the prevalence of kidnapping for ransom in that country.”
