Published on 1 June 2009
3 June 2009 - Independent media brought under government control
11 December 2007 - To chants of “Gaddafi, predator,” Reporters Without Borders protesters urge Sarkozy to be firmer on human rights
2 March 2007 - On Libyan Arab Jamahiriya’s 30th anniversary, still no word of journalist arrested in 1973
Since launching his “Green Revolution” in 1969, Muammar Gaddafi has distanced himself from his original socialist ideals. The ending of Libya’s diplomatic isolation has had a significant impact on the economy but not on press freedom. Journalists are only very slowly benefiting from the easing of political tension. They still have no room for manoeuvre and have to relay Gaddafi’s propaganda. His personality cult is visible everywhere in the streets and in the official media.
Non-governmental media were permitted in Libya in 2007 for the first time since Gaddafi took power but were closely supervised by his immediate staff. Media diversity continues to be a mirage. The foreign media are closely watched and foreign reporters find it hard to get visas to visit Libya. Many international newspapers and magazines are confiscated on arrival.
Adel Kareem Nabil Suleiman, better known by the pen name Kareem Amer, was arrested on 6 November 2006, for articles published on his blog .
