Eman al- Obeidi: One Woman Embodies Libya’s Struggle

The unbelievable story of Eman al-Obeidi, the Libyan woman and lawyer, who is accusing embattled Libyan leader Gaddafi’s soldiers of gang-raping her, continues to develop in horrifying detail.

After al-Obeidi famously stormed into the hotel in Tripoli where foreign journalists were staying to let the world know about her assault, she disappeared for more than a week, with Libyan authorities telling conflicting stories of her whereabouts while her parents defended their daughter’s reputation and story.

The government failed to produce al-Obeidi as planned on a scheduled press conference earlier this week, but NPR managed to secure an interview with her followed by CNN’s Anderson Cooper.

I am including the interview below because this woman’s bravery, strength and courage not only speak for itself, but her fight for her dignity and rights has become a larger metaphor for the ongoing struggle of both Libya and her people. I cannot stop thinking about how brave she is for constantly refusing to be silenced in the face of such torture and intimidation.

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