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Press Statement LFJL Congratulates Libyans on this Historic Election Day
7 July 2012
Lawyers for Justice in Libya (LFJL) would like to congratulate all Libyans on this historic Election Day. For the first time in decades, Libyans have the opportunity to exercise their democratic right and freely vote for a representative government. We encourage all parties, candidates and voters to respect the outcome of the elections. This is a day where we leave behind the corruptive legacies of the Gaddafi era and move toward a democratic society based on mutual respect and a respect for the democratic process and the rule of law. LFJL hopes for the next elections to be more inclusive and to grant every Libyan in or outside Libya the right to exercise their right to vote. LFJL hopes that for the next government to take all necessary steps to ensure that the right to vote is available to every Libyan.
We encourage the Libyan people to continue to participate actively in building a new Libya and continue to exercise their civic rights. In particular, we call on all Libyan citizens to remain engaged in the coming months during the creation of our constitution. The drafting of our constitution will be a crucial time that will determine the future of Libya and the rights of the Libyan people.
“Today marks yet another milestone in our journey towards a country where the people’s voice is heard and respected, their rights protected and their dignity upheld. By selecting their representatives to the National Assembly, the Libyan people have elected those who will be tasked with enshrining their rights and freedoms in the new constitution,” said LFJL Director Elham Saudi. “We call on the elected representatives to take this task with the appropriate gravity and to ensure that the new Libyan constitutuion speaks for not only those who ‘dipped their fingers in the ink’ but all Libyans, present and future,” added Saudi.