Release Australian lawyer: NATO chief

14 Jun 2012, 6:26 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Australian lawyer Melinda Taylor. (Courier Mail)

Australian lawyer Melinda Taylor. (Courier Mail)

The head of NATO has added his voice to calls for Libyan authorities to release detained Australian lawyer Melinda Taylor and her colleagues.

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The head of NATO has added his voice to calls for Libyan authorities to release detained Australian lawyer Melinda Taylor and her colleagues.

In Canberra for talks with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and other government figures, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called for Libya's cooperation.

"I would urge them to release these individuals as soon as possible," Mr Rasmussen told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.

"We have seen that the new authorities in Libya cooperate in a positive manner with the International Criminal Court and I would hope that would also lead to a release of these ICC representatives as soon as possible."

The new Libyan government took power last year after a NATO-led military intervention helped topple dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Ms Taylor and three other ICC representatives were detained in the Libyan city of Zintan last week while representing Gaddafi's son, Seif al-Islam.

They were detained after Ms Taylor was found allegedly carrying documents for Seif that were judged a threat to national security.

They have been placed in "preventive detention" for 45 days as authorities investigate further.

Australian diplomats are pressing local authorities to allow Ms Taylor to phone her family.

Australia's ambassador to Libya, David Ritchie, met with Ms Taylor earlier this week.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says the government is reassured about her safety following the meeting.

"We remain very concerned about Ms Taylor's continued detention and the prospect of a long and detailed investigation by Libyan authorities," a spokesman said in a statement on Thursday.

"We continue to press for a phone call between Ms Taylor and her family as soon as possible."

Ms Taylor's Brisbane-based parents, John and Janelle, have pleaded for Libya to release their daughter in time for her toddler's third birthday next month.

Ms Taylor's team was in Libya to help Seif choose a defence lawyer.

Ahmed Jehani, Libya's envoy to the ICC, has said she was caught "exchanging papers" with Seif.

Mr Jehani alleges Ms Taylor was carrying a pen camera and a letter from Mohammed Ismail, Seif's former right-hand man, who is now on the run.

He said the letter contained drawings and symbols, a "code" that would be understood only by the sender and the intended recipient, Seif.
 

Melinda Taylor , Nato Libya , NATO

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