
Former ATIB bank Chairman Naaman Elbouri recalls his unjust kidnapping and detention – calls on CBL Governor to implement law against those unjustly accused
This incident came after the first kidnapping he had experienced in 2017, which ended peacefully thanks to the efforts and intervention, he revealed, of Hashim Bashar and Saif Khaled, who were instrumental in his rescue and liberation at that time.
Attempts to prevent him from expressing his professional opinion
On the one-year anniversary of his arrest, Elbouri says in between the two incidents, he experienced years of pressure, accusations, and unjust decisions against him, which constituted attempts to silence him and prevent him from expressing his professional opinion on monetary policies.
Failed monetary policies severely harmed the Libyan economy
Monetary policies that he says clearly history has shown harmed the Libyan people and contributed to the collapse of the dinar from LD 1.4 to the dollar to a reality of multiple exchange rates: cash LD 9.00/dollar, cheques LD 15/dollar, and the burning of cheques at a rate of 40%, which contributed to the growth of the speculation market and the black market.
Subjected to systematic smear campaigns
Elbouri says he was subjected to systematic smear campaigns, despite being an active contributor to the economic path managed by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) with the aim of unifying the Central Bank of Libya and unifying the exchange rate. They were desperate and futile attempts to tarnish his reputation and continue the monetary chaos, he explained.
His innocence proved and his proposed reform policies now adopted
However, his innocence of all charges was judicially documented, and later all the solutions he had demanded were adopted, along with corrective measures such as 'unifying and adjusting the exchange rate,' 'unifying the clearing system,' and 'unifying the board of directors of the Central Bank of Libya,' despite the ongoing disputes resulting from the absence of a unified budget until now.
Elbouri pointed out that the malicious reports that attacked the monetary reforms he was advocating for were adopted in 2021, seven years after the free fall. He added that, thankfully, those behind the malicious reports and violations, whether instigators or perpetrators, no longer have any presence or significant influence today, whether at the security or monetary level.
'Oppression does not last, and every oppressor has an end'
He said that the downfall of these oppressors and abusers of power carries a profound message: 'Oppression does not last, and every oppressor has an end,' and that those who misuse their authority to persecute others will receive their due punishment, even if it takes time.
Arbitrary 2023 decision of CBL to sack ATIB's Board needs to be implemented
El-Bouri also addressed an arbitrary decision issued against him in 2023 by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, Saddek El-Kabir, which led to the dismissal of ATIB bank's board of directors that he chaired, without any legal basis or foundation supporting the action. Despite proving his and his team's innocence, all investigations showed no significant violations. Subsequent judicial rulings also supported the validity of what was attributed to the board of directors and annulled the issued decision. However, the implementation of these rulings is still pending, necessitating the intervention of the relevant authorities to rectify the injustice faced by those affected.
Elbouri's 2024 abduction
Regarding his abduction in 2024, Elbouri confirmed that his release would not have been possible without the decisive intervention of the Attorney General, Siddig Al-Sour, and his team, in addition to the efforts of the Swiss Embassy and the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who played a commendable and pivotal role in ending his detention and standing by his family and relatives.
All the inciters of unjust kidnapping and detention now vanished from the scene
At the end of his statement, Elbouri said: 'On this anniversary, I recall that those who incited my unjust kidnapping and detention in 2017 and 2024 are no longer present today; those who led smear campaigns, those who exerted pressure at the ATIB Bank and the Central Bank, and even the elements who carried out the kidnapping operation, all of them have vanished from the scene.
The clear message is that oppression does not last
And this is not a coincidence, but a clear message: oppression does not last, and no matter how much the oppressor tyrannizes, they will serve as a lesson for others.
Renews appeal for CBL to implement justice
I renew my appeal to current CBL Governor Naji Issa and the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Libya: Grant us justice by implementing the rulings. All we are asking for is respect for the law.
It is time to do justice to ATIB's board of directors and restore the dignity of those who have been wronged without justification. Justice does not fade with time, and those who overlook the truth today will be held accountable tomorrow''.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
12 hours ago
- BBC News
Elgin ice rink permanent closure move made temporary
Plans to permanently shut the Elgin ice rink have been replaced by a temporary Board of Moray Leisure Centre said it had "worked constructively" with a range of groups and individuals since announcing plans to close the ice rink for good from 4 said that as a result of "ongoing discussions" it had decided to make the closure temporary until 5 said that would allow for a "more detailed, solution-focused process to take place". The closure was announced earlier this month in the face of "spiralling" energy board of Moray Leisure Centre said it had concluded its ice rink was "no longer financially viable"."However, in response to the strength of feeling from the community and the constructive dialogue that followed, new potential opportunities and partnerships have emerged," it said in its latest said the temporary closure would make "immediate energy savings" and also allow time to "explore all potential options for recovery and reinvestment".The aim would be to "provide a sustainable future for the ice rink within this financial year and beyond". 'Challenging period' The statement added: "This will be an incredible challenging period, as future plans must be both credible and achievable."The long-term future of the ice rink remains uncertain until a new financial and operational model can be developed."The board remains fully committed to working with key stakeholders to find solutions to both immediate and long-term challenges."It said a sustainable future could only be achieved if everyone worked together over the next four to eight intends to set up a working group to take forward efforts to find a "viable solution".The board said it remained committed to supporting and protecting staff affected by the temporary closure.


Libya Herald
12 hours ago
- Libya Herald
North Africa Bitumen Company explains its choice of Misrata Free Zone as its Libya operations base
Speaking in an interview published yesterday by Misrata Free Zone (MFZ), Paul-Henri Aumont, Regional Director of the North African Bitumen Production Company, explained why his company chose MFZ as its Libya operations base for its Bitumen Storage Terminals. Henry explained that his company is a leading bitumen company operating from MFZ to meet the Libyan market's needs for bitumen. Leading and most advanced company in bitumen trade across African He said his company is among the leading and most advanced companies in bitumen trade across the African continent, purchasing the material directly from refining companies and shipping through its own vessels to ensure high quality and direct delivery to customers in the Libyan market. Sites located in approximately 40 African countries Henry explained that his company has sites located in approximately 40 African countries, supported by its own maritime fleet, which provides flexibility and speed in shipping operations. MFZ's integrated environment,, high-level facilities and strategic location He said his company's choice of the MFZ stems from the integrated environment and high-level facilities it provides at various levels, in addition to its important strategic geographic location, which facilitates logistical operations. Presence of other companies in MFZ was encouraging Henry explained that his company has established its warehouses within MFZ, providing advanced infrastructure that contributes to the efficient storage and distribution of materials. The presence of other investment companies in the same location gave his company an additional impetus to move forward with confident strides toward achieving its set goals. Expanding the business, supplying larger quantities Looking to the future, Henry said his company is looking forward to expanding its business by supplying larger quantities of bitumen in line with local market needs to meet growing demand until it achieves self-sufficiency, reaffirming continued commitment to quality and reliability. A strategic project representing a shift for MFZ Meanwhile, MFZ said the North African Bitumen Production Company's project is a strategic investment project that enhances its development and represents a significant shift in the storage sector, especially with the growing demand witnessed in the international and local markets. Tags: Bitumen asphaltInvestment investor investorsMisrata Free Zone MFZ


Daily Record
15 hours ago
- Daily Record
Climate protest in Perth city centre over SSE plans for fossil fuel plant
Campaigners pointed to existing SSE Peterhead power station as amongst Scotland's biggest polluters with the company confirming that it will continue burning gas until 2040. Climate campaigners targeted energy company SSE's Perth AGM last week over plans to build a new fossil fuel power station with protests inside and outside the meeting. Activist shareholders inside the event questioned the company's Board, challenging them over their recent admission that the proposed new gas burning power station at Peterhead would be three times more damaging to the climate than originally claimed. SSE bosses were grilled over the failures of carbon capture technology on which the plant relies, as well as the increasing pollution that will be caused by gas imports as North Sea production declines. A crowd outside the Perth Concert Hall protested the revelation that total emissions created by the fossil fuel project would rise from 6.3 million tonnes to 17.1 million tonnes. SSE was recently forced to redo its climate calculations after earlier assessments failed to include the inevitable pollution from extracting and transporting the gas to be burned at the Peterhead site. Over 30 climate groups and 1600 individuals recently responded to the public consultation on the new pollution figures calling for the project to be rejected. Adrian Johnson, one of the activists asking questions inside the AGM, said: 'I'm a grandad and former deputy headteacher. Climate science couldn't be clearer that we desperately need to end the use of fossil fuels. 'That's why I went to the SSE AGM - to call out the boss, the leadership and board of this energy giant for plotting to shackle my future and that of my grandchildren to murderous fossil fuels for decades to come.' Protesters outside spoke to shareholders attending the AGM urging them to also challenge the company's plans to continue using fossil fuels to generate electricity, which would link energy bills to volatile international gas prices. SSE made £2.4billion in profits last year whilst a third of Scottish households were trapped into fuel poverty. SSE's existing power station in Peterhead is already amongst Scotland's biggest polluters with the company confirming that it will continue burning gas until 2040. The proposals for an additional gas plant will run until 2055, well past Scotland's net zero target date. Friends of the Earth Scotland highlighted the fact that, despite the company's marketing and green image, 57% of SSE's energy generation output comes from non-renewable sources. SSE also announced recently that it would scale back its renewables investment by £3billion. Friends of the Earth Scotland oil and gas activism organiser Freya Aitchison commented: 'People concerned about climate and fuel poverty have been consistently protesting SSE's plans to build a new power station in Peterhead. 'SSE bosses and shareholders are cashing in on the cost-of-living crisis, keeping us locked into volatile gas prices and high energy bills, while accelerating climate breakdown by burning fossil fuels. A spokesperson for SSE said: 'SSE respects the right to peaceful protest and remains committed to constructive engagement with all stakeholders. 'We're constructing the world's largest offshore wind farm and have plans to build a grid to support more electrification and clean power in Scotland. 'Scotland also needs flexible generation during the energy transition, that's why building a more efficient plant at Peterhead and capturing carbon from it is crucial to keeping the lights on.'