Tess Lawrence, Independent Australia's contributing Editor-at-Large is preparing a comprehensive news report and analysis headlined 'The Penis as a Weapon of War' about the extraordinary event that took place on March 26 at Tripoli's Rixos hotel when Iman al-Obeidi gatecrashed a breakfast press conference organised by the Gaddafi propaganda unit, for international media.
Instead, the courageous law graduate told the gut-wrenching story of her gang rape by 15 Gaddafi soldiers who she asserts also urinated and defecated upon her.
Gaddafi security operatives quickly descended upon Iman, some wielding weapons. Despite attempts by journalists, including Channel Four's Jonathan Miller whose report we feature here, she was taken away and dismissed as being drunk, a prostitute and mentally unstable.
At this moment, Iman al-Obeidi is still missing. Some fear she has been murdered.
It is certainly unclear what has happened to her. But on the embattled Libyan streets, the word is that, at the very least, this young woman will have been subjected to further rape, violation and torture. As punishment. And as a warning to any other woman. Or man.
