Amnesty tells Libya to free Swiss businessman

London, 24 Feb-(ANA)-Amnesty International has called  on the Libyan authorities to immediately release a Swiss businessman and lift a travel ban imposed on him as a diplomatic row between the two countries continued.

Max Goeldi left the Swiss embassy in Tripoli on Monday to begin serving a four month prison sentence for breaching immigration regulations.

The move comes amid a dispute that began with the arrest in Switzerland in 2008 of the son of Libyan leader Mu'ammar al-Gaddafi accused of abusing domestic staff, who later withdrew their complaint.

“Max Goeldi is a pawn in the diplomatic row between Switzerland and Libya. He has not been able to go home to his family since July 2008, when the row between the two countries started and  has clearly been targeted because of his nationality. We consider him a prisoner of conscience - imprisoned for being from the wrong place at the wrong time”, said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa programme.

Max Goeldi was also convicted of breaching commercial regulations on 6 February 2010, and fined 1000 dinars (about 800 USD).

However, the Libyan authorities are believed to have not communicated the exact charges to his lawyer in writing in advance of the trial proceedings, raising fears that his right to prepare an adequate defence had been breached. (ANA)

FA/ANA/24 February 2010-------