Gaza convoy volunteers safe after being arrested in Tunisia

26-02-2009

London, The Muslim News OnLine:

Two volunteers traveling with the Viva Palestina convoy to Gaza have safely arrived in Libya after being arrested in Tunisia, The Muslim News has exclusively learnt.

The two British women, including Mahnaz Bahaji, 53, were believed to have been arrested in the central mining region of Gafsa by Tunisian police on Thursday but were released the same day.

“We have been kidnapped by the police. We don’t know where we are going. Pray for us please,” Mahnaz said a text message alert sent to Ahmed J Versi, Editor of The Muslim News.

A spokesperson for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office was not aware of the arrests, but said the British consulate in Tunisia will try to find out more information about them.

The Tunisian Embassy in the UK was also unaware of the arrests. An embassy spokesman told The Muslim News that Viva Palestina officials had not lodged an official complaint.

The 110 vehicle convoy, which sent off from London on February 14, is carrying £1 million worth of aid to Gaza. It has already traveled through France, Spain, Morocco, Algeria and were hoping to journey on through Libya and Egypt before arriving at Rafah crossing in Gaza early next month.

Earlier this month, the Tunisian human rights watchdog, Observatoire pour la liberté de presse, d'édition et de création (OLPEC), denounced Tunisian police in Ghafsa the harassment and unexplained arrests of journalists and humanitarian workers in the region.