http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/0...oman/index.html

[Link has video]

Libyan woman bursts into hotel to tell her story of rape
By the CNN Wire Staff
March 26, 2011 -- Updated 1811 GMT (0211 HKT)

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Breakfast at a Tripoli hotel housing international journalists took a decidedly grim turn Saturday when a desperate Libyan woman burst into the building frantic to let the world know she had been raped and beaten by Moammar Gadhafi's militia.

Her face was heavily bruised. So were her legs. She displayed blood on her right inner thigh.

She said her name was Eman al-Obeidy. She was well-dressed and appeared to be a well-to-do middle-aged woman. She spoke in English and said she was from the rebel stronghold of Benghazi and had been picked up by Gadhafi's men at a checkpoint east of Tripoli.

She sobbed and said she was held against her will for two days and raped by 15 men. She showed the journalists how she had been tied at her wrists and ankles. She had visible rope burns.

CNN could not independently verify al-Obeidy's story but her injuries appeared consistent with what she said.

Government officials quickly closed in to stifle her. But she persisted, wanting the journalists, staying at the Rixos Hotel, to see Gadhafi's brutality firsthand.

International journalists, including CNN's staff, are not allowed to move freely in the Libyan capital and are escorted out of the hotel only on organized outings by government minders. This was the first time a Libyan opposed to Gadhafi attempted to independently approach the journalists here.

What followed was a disturbing scene of how Gadhafi's government operates.

Security forces moved to subdue the woman. Even a member of the hotel's kitchen staff drew a knife. "Traitor!" he shouted at her in contempt. Another staffer tried to put a dark tablecloth over her head.

One government official, who was there to facilitate access for journalists, pulled a pistol from his belt. Others scuffled with the journalists, manhandling them to the ground in an attempt to wrestle away their equipment. Some journalists were beaten and kicked. CNN's camera was confiscated and deliberately smashed beyond repair.

Security men said al-Obeidy was "mentally ill" and was being taken to a "hospital." They dragged her unceremoniously to a waiting white car.

She kicked and screamed. She insisted she was being carted off to prison.

The journalists believed al-Obeidy's life to be in danger and several of them demanded to see her. At a news conference later, they challenged Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim on what they had experienced.

Kaim told them that authorities were investigating the incident. "We will let you know," he said.

The incident served as stark reminder of Gadhafi's pervasive grip on Libyan society. A woman who dared to speak against him was quickly silenced. Journalists who dared to tell her story paid a price.

It was one tale that perhaps went a long way in illuminating the need to protect Libya's people.

Consistent with this:



This post has been edited by Polaris: Mar 27 2011, 03:15 AM

Those of us who are working knows this is very true. I hope to move up to at least "we eat for u" category.

This post has been edited by Veda: Mar 27 2011, 03:11 AM

ghadafi is illuminati??

poor women, i hope she get proper treatment for her mental illness

to trust or not to trust

Malaysians trust Gadaffi and benci CNN

i want to reach we rule u level..

meleisian will say it is the jews fault....

as always....

american propaganda. they even admit cannot verify the story.

why perkasa didn't do any demonstration at US embassy last friday? too busy want to watch porn? porn > libya attack by western powers?

watching wanita_libya_dirogol.mkv party, hosted by ibrahim ali.

with the way this country is going now, im pretty sure msia will end up like libya if race based politics continue

auntie deflowered?

Tell us something that we dont already know.

Perkasa is just a running dog for Mahathir, they're headless if the big big boss don't tell them waht to do.