On 20 May 2013, the competent Libyan judicial authorities in the town of Zintan, Libya, brought the decision to release five Serbian citizens arrested in late August 2011. 

Following an investigation carried out by the competent authorities of the Libyan military and civilian security services, and the established cooperation with the security agencies of Serbia, court proceedings were completed after several sittings with the ruling that there was no evidence that the Serbian citizens committed any criminal offense.

As they were investigated, their treatment at Zintan prison was all right, their human rights were respected under the circumstances, which shows that the legal system in Libya operates in accordance with Libyan laws and in compliance of fundamental standards of international law.

Upon their release, the freed Serbian citizens expressed their gratitude to the military and civilian authorities in Zintan for a fair and human treatment and, in particular, for the impartial and fair implementation of the relevant Libyan laws and regulations in this particular case.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its gratitude to the Libyan interim government that, in the face of a serious and complicated situation, it is making truly tremendous efforts to reform the judicial system and create functioning institutions of a state governed by the rule of law, in a spirit of democracy.

We express our hope and belief that the situation in Libya will calm down and stabilize, and that this people friendly to us will experience its revived prosperity and development.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia is convinced that the relations between our two friendly peoples will continue to develop, as our two countries are linked by friendship and cooperation.