UN strongly condemns poll-related attack in Sebha

The United Nations mission in Libya, on Friday, condemned an attack on a court in the south-western city of Sebha, Libyan Express News correspondent reports.

“Alarmed by” the reported attack on the Sebha court of appeal on Thursday, the UN Support Mission (UNSML) said it “strongly condemns any form of electoral-related violence and reiterates that the electoral process must be protected.”

The mission said that “attacks against judicial or election facilities or judicial or elections personnel are not only criminal acts punishable under Libyan law, but also undermine Libyans’ right to participate in the political process.”

It stressed the importance of protecting the electoral process, reiterating its call for transparent, fair and inclusive elections slated for 24 December as set out in the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum roadmap of and relevant UN Security Council resolution.

On Thursday, an armed group affiliated with Khalifa Haftar’s forces stormed the Sebha court to disrupt the appeal process that Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi’s lawyer intends to lodge, after opening the door for appeals to those who were disqualified from the presidential race, according to a security source.