Family of Eman Al-Obeidi DENY claims she is free, sister now missing too

Libyan press has announced that Eman has now been freed, and is resting at home with her mother and sisters. She may be giving an interview to one or two female reporters, they promised. A Gadaffi spokesman has told foreign press that five men, one of whom may be the son of a top-ranking Police Officer, have been arrested in connection with the alleged beating, torture and rape of Eman Al-Obeidi. None of this can be confirmed by journalists, who are held captive in the hotel in Tripoli where the woman approached them Saturday. Her family, however, deny that this is true. In fact, they say, her sister Amal has also been detained. They received a phone call last night from a government spokesman at three a.m. offering them a new house, money, anything they wished as long as they retracted Eman's statement.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/liby an-woman-offers-glimpse-into-workings-of -gaddafi-government/2011/03/26/AFNppLkB_ story.html i

The Benghazi woman made headlines yesterday when she into a Tripoli hotel to tell journalists of her ordeal at the hands of men connected to Moammar GadhafiMoammar Gadhafi.

According to the government spokesperson: "Her claims are being fully investigated and she has been given access to a lawyer."

Sky News:"Libya's deputy foreign minister confirms to the men have been detained as part of the investigation and says security staff "mishandled" the incident when al-Obeidi entered the hotel and police attempted to silence her. He also suggests the woman was attending a pre-arranged meeting with at least one of the men when the assault allegedly occurred; al-Obeidi claims she was picked up at a checkpoint. Sky News reports that it is "understood" the government is holding al-Obeidi as part of the investigation." Click for more background.

Why someone who had been subjected to such a trauma is now being 'held for the investigation' was not, apparently, made clear.

Recent tweets indicate that there are 3 other women missing, all lawyers, and that Eman mentioned them to the journalists when she burst in upon the morning breakfast at the Tripoli Hotel where they are kept.

lovethepeople Janaan by MmeButterfly1 As if not enough, watching other women silencing #EmanAlObeidi is painful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgewM4Poi_Y&feature=related 9 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

» zeitgeistbd Zain Zeitgeist by MmeButterfly1 A woman in Brother Leader's Libya. http://tinyurl.com/5wh975h #WhereisEmanalObeidi #Libya RT widely! 24 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

» JuniAliMoon Ali by MmeButterfly1 If #wealldoit we can get #WhereisEmanAlObeidi #WhereisEmanAlObeidy #EmanAlObeidi TRENDING!!! #Libya #Feb17 RT PLEASE!!! 25 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply »

» FromJoanne Joanne by MmeButterfly1 BREAKING: 3 FRIENDS OF #Eman #al-Obaidi ALSO LAWYERS R MISSING Just as she said they R still there Being Raped ! #febr17 #libya

More relevant tweets as of Sunday 8:00pm EST:

Cousin of #EmanAlObeidi says she was 29, law graduate, strong woman, a virgin, captured and raped at Tripoli checkpoint http://bit.ly/gRYxYX 3 hours ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

» concern4others Each Other's Concern by MmeButterfly1 #Libya government called mother and father of #EmanAlObeidi at 3am to pressure their daughter to change her story http://bit.ly/fDSwNx 3 hours ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

» feb17libya Feb17Libya by MmeButterfly1 Libyan State TV is actually a very reliable source: Just take whatever they say--& the opposite is almost always true #Libya @LibyanStateTV 3 hours ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

» NicRobertsonCNN Nic Robertson by MmeButterfly1 Govt spksmn then contradicted himself, saying he didnt want to discuss it and "defame" #AlObeidi. MORE 54 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet Rep

» jenanmoussa Jenan by MmeButterfly1 Amal, who is Eman's sister, disappeared as well. Her family fears she will be put on #Libya state tv to say her sister is crazy. #FreeEman 1 hour ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

» jenanmoussa Jenan by MmeButterfly1 This is the English translation of my exclsuive with Eman's cousin: http://feb17.info/general/emans-mother-speaks-out/ #FreeEman 1 hour ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

» NicRobertsonCNN Nic Robertson by MmeButterfly1 Libyan govt spksmn at presser says #EmanAlObeidi has been released & “is with her family.” We are trying to confirm & trying to find her. 1 hour ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

» moosh41 moosh suleiman by MmeButterfly1 @ @NicRobertsonCNN Doctors in Ajdabiya’s main hospitals say they have treated women who were raped by Gaddafi soldiers feb17.info/live-libya-unr… 59 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

» NicRobertsonCNN Nic Robertson by MmeButterfly1 Spokesman says she's released but no one here will believe it until we see her. He again held out vague possblty of journalists seeing her. 58 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply

» NicRobertsonCNN Nic Robertson by MmeButterfly1 Govt account of #AlObeidi differs GREATLY from family, who says she is a law student. Govt smear campaign says she’s "a prostitute." 57 minutes ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply