Americas

Americas

U.S. urges Libyan government to protect rights of all

17 February 2012 23:25 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The White House on Friday urged the Libyan government to protect the rights of all its citizens and to be transparent and open in the political process as it marks the one year anniversary of the uprising in the northern African country, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"Protecting the rights of all the Libyan people will help preserve the unity of purpose that defined the revolution," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement.

He urged Libya’s Transitional National Council and the Libyan interim government to "take full advantage of this historic moment by making decisions openly and transparently."

Carney said that the "revolutionaries," who ultimately brought down the regime led by Muammar Gaddafi, "now have a responsibility to protect their freedoms by working with the government to establish stability, peace, and reconciliation."

One year ago, following the uprisings that brought about regime changes in Tunisia and Egypt, Libyan protesters started demonstrations demanding the end of former leader Muammar Gaddafi’ s 41-year rule.

After months of civil war and military intervention by the NATO forces, the Libyan opposition defeated Gaddafi forces, and ultimately captured and killed him in October last year.