Has Her Pledge to Uncover Corruption Killed Her? Libyans Mourn a Prominent Journalist Assassinated

Last Tuesday, Libyans received the shocking news of the killing of the well-known journalist and activist Hanan al-Barassi in Bengazi. Al-Barassi, who has been a vocal defender of freedoms and women's rights, was reportedly fatally shot multiple times as she was driving her car down on the main streets of the city.

Responding to the news of Al-Barassi's death, many Libyan commentators expressed their concern that the death of the prominent journalist might be the beginning of a new wave of political assassinations that might target critics and defenders of freedoms in the new Libya.

47-year-old Al-Barassi was known for her live videos using social media networks, in which she addressed the public directly over current events and issues that matter to regular Libyans.

According to several sources, Al-Barassi's death came a few days after she pledged to "uncovering details related to leadership corruption," concerning Saddam Haftar, the son of Khalifa Haftar, the Libyan-American warlord and the commander of the Libyan National Army that controls the east of Libya including Benghazi.

On the 9th of November, Al-Barassi used her Facebook account to announce her intention to reveal new details of "properties and bank accounts" related to Saddam Haftar, saying that she will compare it with what his family had owned before the February 2011 revolution that ousted the former Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi.

Prior to her death, she was also used to post screenshots of threats and attacks she used to receive from supporters of politicians in the country, as she reported on them.