Three months ago, the Libyan authorities detained the Russian oil tanker Mechanic Chebotarev. The crew was accused of smuggling oil from the city of Zuvara, situated 60 km from the border with Tunisia. With the active participation of the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, two members of the crew – a woman and a young man – were set free, but others are waiting for a court decision in Libya.
Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, says that ten crew members remain on the territory of Libya, including the captain of the tanker: “They are regularly visited in Tripoli by a representative of the consular department of the Russian Embassy. Our citizens are placed at the Daphne military base, located about 200 kilometers to the east of Tripoli. We note that the conditions of detention and state of health don’t cause any fears. The mariners are being provided with food, and if necessary they are provided with medical care.”
According to information from Libyan sources, in the context of the investigation process and preparation of the corresponding trial, the detention period of sailors will be extended by the Tripoli prosecutor’s office till the end of the current year.
Zakharova stresses that the current situation in Libya is extremely difficult: “After the military interference of the United States and several European countries in the inter-Libyan conflict in 201, all public institutions were destroyed in the country. One of the worst consequences of this situation occurred in Libya at the beginning of 2014, an internal political split. The country was divided into two opposing groups.
The recovery and process of the Libyan state and the establishment of a unified government in Libya has been carried out over the last year under the auspices of the United Nations. In such circumstances, the Russian Foreign Ministry is working with all parties and at all levels without exception that can assist and be helpful in the early release of the Russian sailors. Russian diplomats also used a platform and opportunities during an international meeting on Libya, held in Rome on December 13th.”
