Concerns for the lives of Mahmoud Fathi and his wife after their abduction in Libya, amid conflicting reports about their mysterious fate — “Joint Statement”
Concerns for the lives of Mahmoud Fathi and his wife after their abduction in Libya, amid conflicting reports about their mysterious fate — “Joint Statement”
The undersigned human rights organizations strongly condemn the continued abduction and enforced disappearance of Egyptian political opposition engineer Mahmoud Mohamed Fathi, Chairman of the Al-Fadila Party and founder of the Umma Current, along with his wife, Ms. Huda Mohamed Anwar, after they entered Libyan territory officially and in an orderly manner. They express grave concern for their lives and safety in light of conflicting information about their fate.
Details of the abduction
The couple, who are Egyptians holding Turkish citizenship, arrived in Tripoli on 11 July 2026, coming from their place of residence in Istanbul, through official entry points and with approved travel visas. After a week of staying and moving publicly, and specifically on 19 July 2026, they were abducted and all news about them completely ceased.
Conflicting information about their fate
Information regarding the couple’s fate remains conflicting and unconfirmed. Sources from their families report that they were forcibly transferred to Cairo in coordination between entities affiliated with the Government of National Unity and the Egyptian authorities. In contrast, other information indicates that they are still held in enforced disappearance by security authorities in Tripoli. No official statement has been issued by the Libyan or Egyptian authorities to confirm or deny either account.
Whatever the correct version may be, the outcome is the same: two people are deprived of the protection of the law, and their family is denied any information about their whereabouts and fate. This, in itself, constitutes enforced disappearance for which the relevant authorities bear responsibility.
Family efforts and lack of response
Over the course of weeks, the couple’s family made strenuous efforts to obtain any official information. They repeatedly contacted the relevant channels in the Libyan Government of National Unity and the competent Turkish authorities, and attempted to enlist a number of Libyan lawyers to secure legal support, without receiving any response. In the face of this silence, the family issued two public statements on 24 and 25 August 2026, in which they placed full responsibility for their lives and safety on the Government of National Unity and the Egyptian authorities.
Risk to their lives
In Egypt, engineer Mahmoud Fathi faces harsh in absentia sentences reaching life imprisonment and the death penalty, in cases with a political background that fall short of even the minimum standards of a fair trial. The undersigned organizations also warn of the direct danger to the life of his wife, Ms. Huda Anwar, a housewife who does not engage in any political activity, and who is going through critical health conditions that require continuous medical care.
Legal obligations
The undersigned organizations remind the Libyan authorities of their international obligations, which prohibit the surrender of any person to a state where there are fears that they may be subjected to torture or cruel treatment, or where there may be a serious violation of their right to life and liberty. If it is true that a political opponent sentenced to death is handed over, together with his wife who has no connection to political work, this would constitute a clear violation of international law and national laws, particularly Article 3 of the Convention against Torture. If, on the other hand, they are kept detained without disclosing their whereabouts, this would constitute a prohibited enforced disappearance under international law. In both scenarios, the authorities in Tripoli bear direct legal and moral responsibility for their safety and lives.
The undersigned organizations declare their solidarity with the human rights measures taken by Al-Karama — Geneva
Al-Karama had brought the case to public attention as early as 22 July 2026, warning the Libyan authorities against handing over engineer Mahmoud Fathi to the Egyptian authorities in light of a death sentence issued against him, and stressing that any handover or forced deportation would expose him to a real risk of serious violations of his fundamental rights.
It called on the Presidential Council, the Government of National Unity, and Libya’s General Intelligence Service to immediately reveal the location of his detention, ensure his right to communicate with his family and lawyer, and open an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances of his arrest and disappearance.
Al-Karama escalated its international action, referring the couple’s file urgently on 2 September 2026 to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. It demanded its urgent intervention with the Libyan authorities to reveal their fate and whereabouts, verify the circumstances of their abduction, inform their family of their fate, and ensure their physical safety and protection from torture and ill-treatment.
Demands
In light of the lack of transparency and the absence of any official statement determining the couple’s fate, the undersigned human rights organizations call for the following:
Government of National Unity in Libya: Break the silence, immediately disclose the circumstances of the couple’s abduction and their fate and whereabouts, identify the entities responsible for their abduction, release them immediately if they are being held by it, and halt any forced transfer of opponents and residents on its territory.
Egyptian authorities: Immediately disclose the location where the couple is being held, if they are in their custody, provide urgent medical care for the wife, and enable them to communicate with their family and lawyer.
The UN mission and the relevant international and Turkish bodies: Urgently intervene to follow up on the case, and pressure all parties to ensure the safety of the couple and protect them from any ill-treatment or political retaliation.
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: Work to reveal the couple’s fate and prevent their handover to the Egyptian government.
Undersigned organizations:
Adalah for Human Rights — Istanbul.
Al-Karama — Geneva.
Free Voice — France.
Al-Shahab Center for Human Rights — London.
Solidarity for Human Rights — Geneva.
Association of Victims of Torture — Geneva.
FIDH International for Human Rights — Belgium.
Wasil for Human Rights — The Hague.
Cedar for Legal Studies — Lebanon.
Council of Egyptian Rights — Geneva.