Ten years after South African photographer Anton Hammerl was killed the trail to find his body has long gone cold, and his killers are still walking free. But now all of this could change.
On Thursday, Hammerl’s wife, Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl, with the help of human rights lawyers, filed three complaints with the United Nations, to initiate an investigation they hope will identify those involved in his death and possibly locate his remains.
The first complaint is to be filed with the new UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Dr Morris Tidball-Binz.
The other complaints are to be directed to the special rapporteur on freedom of expression and the UN working group on enforced or involuntary disappearances.
“We are asking that they raise serious concerns with the Libyan authorities and we are also asking that they urgently request information from the South African, Austrian and UK authorities,” says Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers in London, which is representing Hammerl’s family.
The law firm specialises in human rights and civil liberties and has acted in cases that involved the deaths of several high-profile journalists.
The firm has also worked on the Jamal Khashoggi murder, and…