On May 24, Knoxville resident and University of Tennessee graduate Jenelle Jones was detained along with nine others by the Libyan Arab armed forces in the north of the country while attempting to secure passage to the Gaza strip to deliver food and supplies to Palestinian civilians. Jones was taking part in an international aid convoy known as the Global Sumud Flotilla.
In a press release, the organization condemned Jones’ detention, saying it “follows a pattern of failed coordination by eastern Libyan authorities.” The organization has accused the Libyan government of violating international law, and is asking the United States government to intervene on Jones’ behalf.
“The delegates are unarmed civilians on a humanitarian mission,” the release reads. “Their detention is without legal basis.”
WUOT News received a statement from U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett’s office that said they are aware of the situation. Burchett declined to provide any further comments, however, citing federal privacy laws.
In early May, Jones announced on Facebook that she would be traveling to North Africa to join the Global Sumud Flotilla’s land convoy mission to deliver aid to civilians in Gaza who remain blockaded by Israel’s military.
Amanda Irizarry is one of Jones’ close friends, and was listed as her emergency contact. She said that the group has tried to negotiate safe passage multiple times without success, however this was the first time that they did not return. In a June 1 interview, Irizarry said her main concern is for Jones’ wellbeing.
“I want to make sure she's safe,” she said. “Nine days of not knowing what's happening to someone you love in a foreign country is severely unsettling.”
On Tuesday, Jones and her fellow detainees were seen at the Libyan Attorney General’s and Prosecutor General’s offices in Benghazi. According to the Al-Marsad Libyan Newspaper, the government decided to extend the detention of all 10 individuals and return them to an immigration detention center.
The detainees were refusing to eat in an effort to force their release, though they recently broke their hunger strike in exchange for a phone call. On Thursday, Irizarry says she spoke to Jones by phone for the first time in weeks, who shared that the group’s mental and physical health is deteriorating and that they have been given limited information about the reasons for their detention.
This is a continually evolving story that will be updated as developments occur.