Shuwail calls for negotiation instead of a security escalation
LIBYA – Former Libyan interior minister Ashour Shuwail has called on the authorities in the east and west of the country to negotiate swiftly with the teachers’ union over its demands for better salaries and working conditions, arguing that a security-only approach may not be the best option. He was commenting on warnings by the Tripoli Security Directorate about organising demonstrations and sit-ins.
Protest law and 48 hours’ notice
In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Shuwail noted that the Tripoli Security Directorate had warned at the start of the week against holding protest gatherings without 48 hours’ prior notice, and that offenders could face up to six months in prison and a fine.
He said the purpose of such legislation was to protect public order, and that Law No. 65 of 2012 regulating peaceful demonstrations set out rules to protect participants and property, including written notice 48 hours in advance so that the demonstration can be secured and troublemakers prevented from infiltrating it.
Prison, fines and the right to appeal
Shuwail added that, according to his reading of the law, breaching these rules is punishable by imprisonment and a fine of up to 5,000 dinars, or either penalty, and that the security authorities must notify the organisers of an event that permission has been refused 12 hours before it is due to take place, while the organisers retain the right to appeal.
Rejecting selective enforcement and calling for negotiated solutions
He criticised any selective use of the law or its application for political ends, saying he could not say for certain whether the demonstrations Tripoli has seen recently had obtained security permits.
He stressed the importance of the competent authorities negotiating swiftly with the union to reach solutions that neither overburden the budget nor disrupt schooling, describing teachers as the first building block in shaping citizens.
