Hailed as a “martyr of truth,” activist Abdel Moneim al-Marimi died within the Public Prosecution building after jumping from a third-floor lightwell, in front of security guards and judicial staff.

The incident has become a focal point of social media discussions, with widespread demands for an investigation, especially after the Public Prosecution confirmed al-Marimi was awaiting his release.

Reactions to the incident have varied across popular, social, and international spheres, amid a complete silence from official bodies.

Street closures and popular protests

On the popular front, Tripoli and some of its suburbs, along with Tajoura and Zawiya, witnessed protests last night condemning the death and arbitrary detention of Abdel Moneim al-Marimi, the nephew of Abu Agila al-Marimi.

Protesters blocked major roads in Tajoura, Ain Zara, Sidi Al-Masri, Al-Dahmani, Al-Siraj, and Ras Hassan. Demonstrators in the Al-Nibras Island area of Sidi Al-Masri chanted slogans demanding the overthrow of the Government of National Unity (GNU), holding it responsible for al-Marimi’s death.

Protesters in Algeria Square called for an immediate investigation, while a number of them headed to the Public Prosecutor’s office, demanding judicial action against the Prime Minister.

In Zawiya, protesters blocked the coastal road and burned car tires, expressing their anger over the circumstances surrounding al-Marimi’s death. Protesters vowed to continue escalating until those responsible are held accountable.

Social Council describes it as a “heinous crime.”

The Social Council of Souk Al-Jumaa and the Four Neighbourhoods described “the killing of the young man Abdel Moneim al-Marimi as a mysterious and heinous crime that shocked the conscience of society,” deeming “this crime a form of systematic terrorism to silence free voices and terrorise the public.”

The Council held the government’s law enforcement agencies fully responsible for the manner of the deceased’s arrest and detention, and the tragic outcome. It demanded that the competent authorities take necessary measures to hold all those involved in this crime accountable and bring them to justice. The Council also affirmed the continuation of their peaceful movement in defence of the homeland and citizens’ rights.

Libyan Organisation for Human Rights: “A grave incident that cannot be overlooked”

On the human rights front, the Libyan Organisation for Human Rights (LOHR) demanded that the Public Prosecutor explain the details of the circumstances surrounding al-Marimi’s death and release surveillance camera footage to the public. It stated that al-Marimi’s death in a security building, hours after his interrogation and the announcement of his release, represents “a grave incident that cannot be overlooked or justified by vague statements or conflicting narratives.”

The organisation criticised the Public Prosecution’s statement, which merely referred to “an attempt to jump that led to injury,” without precise clarification of his health condition, confirmation of his death at the time, or a subsequent statement explaining the exact cause, time, and location of his death.

LOHR considered that the death of a citizen while in, or immediately after being in, the custody of a security authority places full responsibility on the state to provide a complete narrative, supported by medical evidence and recordings. It questioned whether al-Marimi had been subjected to psychological or physical pressure that led to his sudden behaviour, and whether his detention conditions were humane and safe.

The organisation called for an immediate official statement from the Public Prosecution detailing the circumstances and cause of death, the release of surveillance camera footage to the public, an independent and transparent investigation supervised by a neutral judicial body, the involvement of human rights organisations in monitoring the investigations and reviewing their results, and ensuring that witnesses are not intimidated or facts obscured by any means.

Political reactions: “A model of intimidation”

For his part, political analyst Hamad Al-Kharraz considered that GNU Head Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh is attempting to turn the Abdel Moneim al-Marimi incident into “a model for intimidating his opponents and silencing dissent.”

Al-Kharraz added that “Dbeibeh’s criminal organisation disregards human rights and uses militias and some security groups, such as the Internal Security Agency, to intimidate and frighten people,” asserting that these practices “will only increase people’s determination to overthrow Dbeibeh and remove him from the political scene.”

Meanwhile, Mohamed Al-Muzoughi, a candidate for the head of a unified government, stressed that Abdel Moneim is “a new witness to the continued bloodshed demanding the return of the state, justice, and a dignified life.”

Al-Muzoughi called on the House of Representatives, the High Council of State, military and security leaders across Libya, and international parties concerned with the Libyan crisis to “reclaim the homeland.” He added: “Today we bid farewell to Abdel Moneim al-Marimi, and tomorrow we may bid farewell to more of our innocent youth, who merely demand change for the better and a life of dignity and honour, unless you shoulder your responsibilities towards a people who can no longer bear further loss and pain.”

On another note, the former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice in the interim government questioned, in a Facebook post, why the Public Prosecution did not refer al-Marimi for a medical examination to ascertain any harm he suffered during his detention by the Internal Security, and whether, during interrogation, he was fully mentally conscious or under psychological pressure due to what happened to him during the days of his abduction before being handed over to the Public Prosecution.

Banoun criticised the medical report issued on his condition, asserting that it clarifies nothing.

Government stance: A controversial post

In contrast, a post by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture in the Government of National Unity, Wedad Al-Duwini, sparked a widespread wave of controversy and anger following the announcement of al-Marimi’s death. Al-Duwini wrote: “It brought no honour, no protection, nor even increased the harvest… as if the country got rid of a heavy burden, like a bag of dirt.”

Al-Marimi’s family and activists interpreted this post as a direct sign of gloating over the incident. Many also described it as inappropriate for an official and indicative of a decline in the level of public discourse within state institutions.

Although Al-Duwini later amended her post with words about “the country’s chaos” and “citizens’ suffering and loss of security,” the tone of schadenfreude in the original post overshadowed the message, according to activists and commentators.

Calls for a transparent, independent investigation

Separately, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) expressed its shock and profound sadness at the death of activist Abdel Moneim al-Marimi, urging authorities to open a transparent and independent investigation into his arbitrary detention, allegations of torture during his custody, and all circumstances surrounding his death.

UNSMIL also condemned the threats, harassment, and arbitrary arrests targeting politically active Libyans, and reiterated its call to all authorities to respect freedom of expression and put an end to illegal detentions.

Medical report before death: Critical injuries

An official medical report issued by the clinic where Abdel Moneim al-Marimi was taken before his death detailed his condition. The report stated that al-Marimi suffered critical injuries to the head, chest, and spine, as well as a cerebral haemorrhage 2.4 cm thick in the right frontoparietal lobe. He also had a skull fracture and bleeding from his right ear and nose. The report confirmed that he was in a complete coma with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3 out of 15, in addition to unequal pupil sizes and an absence of neurological response.

The report affirmed that the patient was on a ventilator and in a hemodynamically unstable condition, having undergone a cerebral decompression operation with partial skull removal. It noted that the skull bone was placed in the abdomen for preservation after surgery.

The report indicated that the patient had multiple fractures in the cervical and thoracic vertebrae from C7 to D9, as well as a pneumothorax and two chest tubes on both sides, warning that “the probability of death is high” based on the indicators.

Public Prosecution statement: Official narrative

The Public Prosecution had stated in a communiqué that it received investigative documents from the Internal Security Agency regarding Abdel Moneim al-Marimi and decided to formally interrogate him, but the incident occurred after the interrogation concluded.

It clarified that while Abdel Moneim al-Marimi was waiting for his relatives to be notified of his presence, he jumped from the upper floor through the void between the stairs, which led to serious injuries requiring his transfer to the hospital, where he later died from those injuries.

It is worth noting that the Surman Security Directorate had announced earlier this week that al-Marimi was abducted by unknown gunmen, and his car was found with his two children inside, while his fate remained unknown until the Public Prosecution announced his transfer to the hospital.

Al-Marimi’s case has become a trending topic on social media platforms, which recalls his history of activism against corruption and his rise to prominence when he defended his uncle, Abu Agila, who was abducted from his home and handed over by the Government of National Unity to the United States.

The platforms also recalled the famous “Haj Hamad” cartoons that used to bring Libyan families together at Ramadan Iftar, which were conceived, scripted, and dialogued by citizen and activist Abdel Moneim al-Marimi. Between the medical report that failed to provide answers to the public’s questions about the reason for al-Marimi’s actions and whether he was under pressure or in his normal state, and the intense wave of dissatisfaction and anger sweeping the streets, Abdel Moneim al-Marimi’s incident remains in need of further investigations to uncover its circumstances fully.