Former Algerian detainee in Libya tells his story

Othman Khemissi, one of the released Algerian detainees from the Libyan prison of “Aldjadida” talks to “Echorouk” about the living conditions during his incarceration for drug trafficking, as well as the plight of his fellow cell mates who remained in captivity, forced to stitch their mouths and go on hunger strike as a reaction to the animal-like treatment they were receiving there.

•  Othman Khemissi, one of the released Algerian detainees from the Libyan prison of “Aldjadida” talks to “Echorouk” about the living conditions during his incarceration for drug trafficking, as well as the plight of his fellow cell mates who remained in captivity, forced to stitch their mouths and go on hunger strike as a reaction to the animal-like treatment they were receiving there.
• Q: How did you get busted inn Libya and what were the charges?
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• A: I was accused of drug dealing, and was put in “Al Djadida” jail in the capital city on April 2003. All started when I took a taxi from my home town “Oued Souf” bound to Libya, in the town of Annaba ( eastern Algeria) I received a call from people supposed to be businessmen in order to deal with them, then agreed upon a meeting in the Libyan town of “Maatka”, not far from Tripoli but were surprised by local security  who accused me of drug dealing.
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• Q: Are you the only person who were arrested or were there others?
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• A: Actually a lot of Algerians accused of drug trafficking have been arrested in the same way, because these imaginary businessmen wander in the streets of several southern towns like Tougourt, Ouargla and Al Oued and trap drug dealers undercover of respectable businessmen. When I received a call from them they were with another man from my home town who fell also in the same trap as I did.
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• Q: Can you tell us about the incarceration conditions over the 6 years you passed there as well as those of the other Algerians?
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• A: The conditions were simply unbearable because of the ill treatment of the wardens and even the Libyan prisoners; we were beaten insulted on daily basis above all we were forced to share the same room with Libyan prisoners affected by Hepatitis who contaminated some of us including the Algerian who died two months ago and buried in his home town in Al Oued while another one from the same region called Hamid is about to die. We were deprived of medical cares; moreover, we were beaten regularly to an extent that a prisoner was assaulted by 20 policemen because he reacted against such a treatment.
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• Q: You take part in the hunger strike launched by the Algerian prisoners who were sentenced to life, what was the impact of the move on the Libyan authorities?
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• A: Those prisoners were wrongly convicted that’s why they decide one morning to go on strike and stitch their mouths to raise awareness outside the prison’s walls and by extension to the Algerian authorities. We witnessed the way they stitched their mouths and were not feeling pain at all because their daily doldrums were worst; this event had a large impact in Libya prompting a flash visit of  the human rights league to the prisoners who were informed that both Algeria and Libya signed a deal to swap prisoners