REFUGE

Alleged Libyan Rape Victim Flees Country

Seeks safety in Tunisia.

Eman al-Obeidi, who made international headlines after bursting into a hotel in Tripoli on March 26 and claiming she had been raped and beaten by 15 of Gaddafi's men, has told CNN that she crossed secretly into Tunisia on Thursday using a refugee document, fearing for her safety in Libya. She left Tripoli in a military car with her entire head and face covered, crossing into Tunisia dressed "in the local manner" without problems upon arrival. But the trip was long and hard, and the car was stopped at several check points, al-Obeidi said. The defecting military officer who accompanied her showed his permit at each stopping point, thus allowing them to continue on their journey. Once over the Tunisian border, European diplomats then took her into Tunis, where she hopes to start a new life. "I still do not know what I"m going to do," she said. "Of course I would like to see my family." She told CNN in an interview several weeks ago that she lives in fear of punishment and retaliation for speaking out about her abuse. Legal proceedings for her rape case have not made much headway.