NEW YORK, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Human Rights Watch and two other human rights groups say they want an investigation into the alleged beating death of a man in a Libyan jail.
The other groups are Alkarma and TRIAL.
The three organizations said they obtained a prosecutor's report on the death of 30-year old Ismail al-Khazmi showing Libya's public security secretary at the time, Gen. Saleh Ragab, refused to let prosecutors open an investigation in the case.
The organizations, in a statement issued by HRW Friday, say al-Khazmi's death highlights the lack of accountability of Libya's Internal Security officers.
"General Ragab's refusal to allow this investigation is only the latest example of the Interior Ministry's interference in judicial investigations into security misdeeds," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director for Human Rights Watch. "The impunity for Libyan security services is probably the single greatest cause of disrespect for the rule of law in Libya".
Al-Khazmi's family was called to the prosecutor's office in April 2007 to receive his body for burial and was given a medical report saying he had died from a heart attack. The man's father refused to accept the body, saying his son didn't have heart problems.
UPI
