DFAT can’t confirm Melinda Taylor report

THE federal government has challenged reports that Libya’s prime minister has said there will be no quick release for detained Australian lawyer Melinda Taylor.

TheUK’s Guardian newspaper has reported Libyan Prime Minister Abdulrahim el-Keib as saying that Ms Taylor, an International Criminal Court (ICC) lawyer, was guilty of actions that “compromised national security” and would not be released.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) says while Mr el-Keib did speak publicly about the case on Thursday it cannot confirm other aspects of the report.

“We are not aware of the Libyan prime minister having said that Melinda Taylor will not be released,” the DFAT spokesperson said.

Discussions between the ICC and senior Libyan officials aimed at resolving the current stand-off are continuing in theNetherlands.

“It is important that we wait for the results of these discussions,” the spokesperson said.

Ms Taylor and three other ICC representatives were detained in the Libyan city ofZintanthis month. The team was inLibyato represent Seif al-Islam, a son of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

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

The Australian government and the ICC has been lobbying hard for Ms Taylor’s release.