UN calls on both authorities in Libya to protect rights of migrants

UN Calls for Reforms in Libya to Protect Migrants and Refugees

The United Nations has urged both the UN-backed government and a rival administration in Libya to implement urgent reforms to safeguard the rights and dignity of migrants and refugees. A new report, published on Tue, Oct 10, 2023, by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Support Mission in Libya, also recommends a moratorium on the return of migrant boats to the country until human rights are assured.

The report highlights that migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in Libya are subjected to systematic rights violations and abuses, including murder, torture, sexual violence, and human trafficking. It notes that individuals are often "rounded up and abducted by networks of traffickers, frequently linked to authorities and criminal organizations." The document criticizes "an exploitative model" that takes advantage of the "heightened vulnerability" of migrants, leading to a "brutal and normalized reality."

Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has become a key transit route for migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. This situation has facilitated human trafficking and abuses against migrants, particularly extortion and slavery. The report identifies four patterns of violations and abuses, including "illegal and dangerous interceptions at sea," "slavery," "sexual and gender-based violence," and "torture" and "enforced disappearance."

The report urges the immediate release of individuals "arbitrarily" detained in both official and unofficial detention centers, numbering around 40 sites. By the end of 2025, approximately 5,000 people were reported to be held in "official" centers, though NGOs suggest the actual figure may be significantly higher.

The UN report is based on interviews with nearly 100 migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees from 16 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.

Based on reporting by Africanews.