The Supreme Council of Sufism in Libya announced the discovery of the body of citizen Omar Al-Farsi (64) in the city of Benghazi, confirming that the victim had been arbitrarily detained prior to his death in prisons run by the “Madkhalis”, as it described.
The council said the incident marks the second within less than a week and the ninth targeting Sufi sheikhs and followers in eastern Libya, holding what it described as the “de facto authorities” in the eastern region—headed by Khalifa Haftar—fully responsible, and accusing security bodies linked to the Madkhali current of involvement.
The National Institution for Human Rights in Libya revealed it had received a report from the victim’s family stating that he had been arbitrarily detained and forcibly disappeared since 2024 in Al-Kweifiya prison; solitary confinement section, in Benghazi.
The institution explained that the family attempted to verify the presence of his body at Benghazi Medical Center (1200) but was unable to do so, while preliminary information indicates he died in detention due to a deterioration in his health as a result of medical neglect and lack of necessary treatment.
According to reports, Al-Agouri was subjected during his initial detention in mid-2024 to what was described as “severe” physical torture inside one of the security headquarters, leading to memory loss and serious physical damage, before his health further deteriorated later in prison.
The institution considered the incident a grave violation of human rights and a breach of Libyan laws and international conventions, particularly those related to the prohibition of torture and enforced disappearance, and guarantees of the right to life, healthcare, and a fair trial.
It called for an urgent and comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the death, holding all those responsible accountable; whether directly or through negligence or abuse of power, and urged disclosure of the fate of other arbitrarily detained individuals, especially followers of Sufi orders, and ensuring they are brought before competent judicial authorities or released.
It noted that this case is the ninth among deaths of detainees from Sufi religious backgrounds, amid accusations of ongoing arbitrary detention of dozens for years without trial, warning that continued violations could undermine the rule of law and amount to serious crimes warranting accountability under national and international law.
