UN Rights Council Suspends Libya

UN Rights Council Suspends Libya

The United Nations General Assembly in New York has suspended the rights of membership of Libya from the Human Rights Council.

Botswana , Gabon , Jordan , Lebanon Nigeria and Qatar co-sponsored the resolution for the suspension of Libya from the 47 -member Council.

Brutal attacks

The 192-member Assembly unanimously agreed to suspend the North African country from the Council because of Muammar Gaddafi's brutal attack against anti-government demonstrators.

Last Friday in Geneva , the 47 -member UN Human Rights Council, which Nigeria is part of, called for an investigation into possible crimes against humanity in Libya .
 
It also recommended Libya 's suspension from membership of the organisation's top human rights body.

Probe for crimes

Last Saturday in New York , the UN Security Council imposed sanctions on Gaddafi's regime and requested that the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigate it for possible crimes against humanity.

In another development, Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle has said Germany has frozen a bank account containing 2.8 million dollars that belongs to a son of Muammar Gaddafi.   

“With this directive, we have taken an unmistakable stand, Germany  is working hand-in-hand with the EU and stands on the side of all those who demand democracy and the rule of law,” Bruederle said.

The account is at an unnamed German commercial bank.   

Visa ban

The move came a day after the EU imposed sanctions on  Libya , banning arms supplies as well as imposing a visa ban and asset freeze on Gaddafi and 25 members of his family and associates.  

''The account was frozen after agreement was reached by the Economy, Foreign, and Finance Ministries as well as the German Central Bank,'' Bruederle said.

The minister added that the international sanctions against the Libyan regime would be forcefully enforced.

NAN/Margaret