Iman al-Obeidi, the Libyan woman who escaped the house where she says she was repeatedly raped by Gadhafi’s thugs, then burst into a Tripoli hotel to share her story with reporters, has now committed another courageous act. Last week, she fled from Libya to Tunisia with the help of a defecting military officer.
Obeidi describes her dramatic escape in a CNN interview. In Tripoli, Obeidi had essentially become a prisoner in her home, since she was harassed by police and people who recognized her in the street. Officials had also forbidden her from traveling to see her family in eastern Libya. On Thursday, she fled the city in a military car with the officer and his family. Obeidi wore a traditional head covering that hid everything except one eye. Along the way, the car was stopped at several checkpoints, but they were allowed to pass after the officer showed his permit. Eventually Obeidi was allowed to enter Tunisia using a refugee document.