The Libyan authorities proceeded this Wednesday, April 2, 2025 on Wednesday, 2025 to the release of 16 Tunisian citizens who have been imprisoned since last March.
This decision follows a bilateral agreement between Tunisia and Libya, aimed at defusing tensions between the two countries and facilitating diplomatic reconciliation.
According to the Tunisian national radio, these liberations are added to the 53 Tunisians already released before the festivities of Eid, thus marking a positive sign in relations between the two countries. For the past month, more than 30 Tunisian nationals had been arrested by the Libyan authorities so as not to have a regulatory entry stamp on their passports, which has led to increasing tensions. These arrests had drawn the attention of the international community, concerned about the situation of Tunisian nationals in Libya.
In another development, the “Directorate of the Application of the Act”, relating to the Libyan Ministry of the Interior, arrested several other Tunisians under the accusation of fuel trafficking. This new wave of arrests exacerbated concerns about security and border management between the two neighboring countries.
The bilateral agreement which facilitated this release is part of a broader diplomatic effort to normalize relations between Tunisia and Libya. As part of this arrangement, Tunisia released four Libyan nationals detained on its soil. In return, the Libyan authorities have agreed to release the imprisoned Tunisians, in a gesture aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two nations and promoting a climate of trust.
