Libya lifts ban on religious parties

Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) has lifted a ban on religious parties taking part in June's election.

At the same time the NTC announced a clampdown on Libyans loyal to the country's former leader, Muammar Gaddafi. Public praise of Gaddafi or his regime will now be an offence.
The NTC had announced a ban on parties organised along religious, regional, tribal or ethnic lines on 24 April.
in order to 'preserve national unity'. But it published a new version of the law on 2 May that made no mention of the controversial measure. Islamists and parties campaigning for a greater degree of regional autonomy in Libya will now be able to contest the elections.
The election will choose members of a new General National Congress.Registration centres opened throughout the country on 1 May, and voters have two weeks in which to register. The NTC has promised to hold elections by the end of June, but Western diplomats say this may slip until later in the summer.