The head of Libyan Media Office, Mohamed Baio, said that the Commander of the Western Military Zone, Osama Al-Juwaili had arrested him without a legal basis. Baio stated his intention to take legal action against Al-Juwaili internationally and domestically.
In press statements, Baio alleged that the Muslim Brotherhood was behind the incitement to arrest him. This is due to the involvement of some of their leaders in corruption cases. He stressed that he will not stop exposing corruption in the media sector.
On Tuesday, media outlets announced his release. He was kidnapped by an armed group, known as the Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade (TRB).
Over the past two weeks, a hashtag of “#Freedom for the head of the Libyan Media Foundation” was launched by Baio’s family and went viral on social media platforms. Many social activists reacted with the hashtag and called for his immediate release.
On 20 October, Baio was kidnapped in Tripoli by the Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade (TRB). A number of accounts on social media platforms circulated a picture of Baio inside the Brigade’s headquarters. Other sources alleged that the TRB commander, Ayoub Abu Ras was behind the kidnapping of Baio, and his two sons.