Libyan protesters get Alberta families' support

About 200 people rallied in Edmonton's Churchill Square on Sunday in support of anti-government protesters in Libya.

The latest numbers indicate at least 204 people have died since Wednesday, although a precise count has been difficult because of Libya's tight restrictions on reporting.

The crackdown on protests in Libya began with uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

Elhadee Alkhalas said demonstrators want to world to know about the regime Libyans have been living under for decades.

"People have been suffering. It's a dictatorship, killing [people] every day, every month. Actually, it's a genocide happening in Libya," the Edmonton resident said.

"You cannot demonstrate on the streets. It's forbidden in Libya. You can face very severe criminal penalties if you stand up and you criticize the regime."

Alkhalas, who heard gunshots in the background the last time he spoke with his family in Libya, said they are living in fear.

"This is a massacre," said Abdel Elfourtia.

Elfourtia, whose family is protesting on the streets of Libya and dodging sniper fire, is in constant contact with his brothers and nephews by phone.

"I was speaking to [one brother] and he said, 'There's another one. He just died.' I was like, 'Oh my God. Oh my God.'"

Family members detained

The updates are grim, Elfourtia said, with three of his brothers detained by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's men and one nephew in hospital.

"And they use swords and they use some sort of a chain with some sort of balls at the end of them so they hit on the head. My nephew's 16 [and] he's in the hospital," he said.

"And the big talk now is they're going to deport these hostages to Tripoli to put fear on the people or they're gonna hang them on the streets."

Elfourtia predicts Libyans won't back down until they bring down the current regime, but he fears thousands of people could die before that happens.

He said Libyans need the support of western governments such as Canada to fight the 42-year dictatorship.

Ottawa issued a statement calling on Libya to respect the rights of freedom of expression and assembly.