Russia Says Prisoners Held in Libya 'Freed'
A group of 22 Russians, Ukrainians and Belorussians held in Libya for three years on suspicion of fighting for deposed ruler Moammar Gadhafi have returned home after being freed, Russia's foreign ministry said Tuesday.
But Libyan authorities said there had been no decision to free the men and they were looking into whether they might have escaped from jail.
The 18 Ukrainians, two Russians and two Belorussians were convicted to lengthy prison terms in 2012 by a court in Tripoli on accusations of being mercenaries, according to Russian media reports.
"All the Russians have returned home and are in good health. In equal measure this refers to the citizens of Belarus and Ukraine, for whom we fought no less persistently than for our fellow countrymen," foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Tuesday.
He said Moscow had taken "all the necessary measures and used different channels for their release."
But Siddiq al-Sur, Libya's deputy prosecutor general, said: "We are looking into the circumstances of their departure from the country.
"There was no court decision or pardon allowing them to be freed."
He said "it could instead be that they escaped."
Source: Agence France Presse
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