The leadership of the Army of the House of Representatives (HoR) that led by General Khalifa Haftar had confirmed the women travel ban decision of the chief of staff, Abdul-Razek Al-Nadhouri.
Al-Nadhouri, who issued the decision, said that the decision bans women under 60 from travel outside the country except with Mahram.
He stated that the prohibition is for the national security and not driven by religious ideology. The decision will affect even the passengers who transit through Al-Abraq Airport, the eastern side of Libya
Al-Nadhouri stated, in a press release, that his authorities discovered that women from civil society organizations, who travel abroad for work from time to time, are used by suspected foreign intelligence.
The civil society in Libya, mainly woman activists and other organizations, denounced the decision and considered it as an infringement on woman rights.
The Libyan Media Freedom of Expression Center condemned the decision and said that it would affect a big part of the citizens and restricts the freedom of movement.
From its side, the Women Union in Benghazi said that the issuance of the decision is very strange. It added that it carries derogation of women rights and it would demolish the Libyan society.
The National Commission for Human Rights – Libya (NCHRL) expressed its dissatisfaction and condemned the decision. It clarified that the decision interferes in the personal freedoms, considering it as a pattern of violation against woman and the contrary of civil life and the fundamentals of Islam.
Observers said that the decision is just the first step towards the results of the war of Haftar in Benghazi, because of the Salafist militias who supported him in his war against the Revolutionary Shura Council in Benghazi.
The decision had come after the visit of the Saudi Salafist Sheikh to the eastern side of Libya who said that it is forbidden to say that the earth orbits.
The Sheikh was welcomed by the army of Haftar and allowed him to give his speeches in the mosques.
The observers added that Haftar said that his war was against Islamist terrorism, but now the result he is coming to is that the Salafist are ruling him and would rule the country.
The question that raised by many observers is: What would happen after this result? Is it the start of the end of Haftar’s leadership? Or the extremist Salafist would rule the country?
