The Canadian embassy in Libya joined the voices calling for freedom of the media, against the backdrop of a 15-year prison sentence issued by a military court in Benghazi to journalist Ismail Abuzreiba.

"Media freedom is important for transparency, accountability and reconciliation in Libya," the embassy wrote on its Twitter account.

The embassy's comment on the situation of the media in Libya was accompanied by the re-tweeting of previous posts by the United Nations Mission in Libya, in which the latter expresses its concern about the ruling against Abuzreiba.

On Friday, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya expressed its "dissatisfaction and concern" over the ruling issued by a military court in Benghazi to imprison the journalist, calling for his "immediate release."