Libya’s national assembly voted on December 4 to make shari’a the source of all legislation in the country as militant Islamists grow in influence.
The General National Congress (GNC) made the move in what has been viewed as an effort to outflank extremists. One of the most prominent militant groups is Ansar al-Sharia, which is suspected of carrying out the attack on the US consulate in which US ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed in September 2012. They have accused some lawmakers of being un-Islamic.
Mohammed al-Zaroug from the Muslim Brotherhood’s Justice and Construction Party (JCP) said: ‘This statement will close the gap on anyone who says the GNC is not working parallel with shari’a law’.
A special committee will review existing laws to ensure that they comply with shari’a.
Christians killed
Amid strengthening political Islam and Islamic militancy in Libya, Christians are extremely vulnerable. On September 25, two Egyptian Christians living in Libya were killed by a group of Muslims after they refused to convert to Islam. They were surrounded by the assailants on a rural road in Derna district. The Muslims robbed and beat them and demanded that the Christians recite the shahada, the Islamic confession of faith. When the pair refused, the attackers tied them up and shot them.
There was a spate of attacks on Egyptian Christians in Libya earlier in the year.
A 45-year-old, who was arrested on suspicion of trying to spread Christianity in the country, died in prison in March, having allegedly been tortured to death. Dozens of other Egyptian Christians were also detained and tortured.
The Libyan church is composed mostly of expatriates, although many thousands fled when the uprising against Gaddafi turned violent. The number of indigenous believers is very small.
