An official statement issued here today described as “merely symbolic punishment” the flogging of three Jewish leaders of Tripoli for refusing to obey an order of the Italian provincial authorities to keep shops open on Saturday in Tripoli’s new quarter. According to the statement, the Jews were flogged fully clothed, receiving ten lashes each.
The incident, first reported by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency on Dec. 17, is considered here as an isolated episode and not signifying a new policy towards the Jews of Tripoli.
In addition to the three floggings, 214 Jews were reported arrested for flouting the order to keep their shops open.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
